Luis Enrique has no doubts about the quality of his Spain team but accepts their Nations League final opponents France have the best collection of individuals in international football.
Spain defeated European champions Italy in their semi-final on Wednesday, ending the Azzurri's world-record 37 match unbeaten run in the process.
World champions France await in the finale, with Didier Deschamps' men having come from 2-0 down to beat Belgium 3-2, which was the first time they had reversed a two-goal deficit since May 2012.
Spain's starting XI last time out was the youngest (average age of 26.8 years) of the four teams involved in the Nations League semis, and prior to their win over Italy, Luis Enrique had the impression they were most people's outside bets for the trophy.
But he relished causing something of an upset and believes they are capable of doing so again.
He told reporters: "I am convinced that we are going to have a great game and that we are going to put France in difficulty.
"I don't know if it will be enough to win us, but for us it is a very great encouragement.
"In the semi-finals we were the underdogs of the four teams and we turned that feeling around. Now we will try to do the same against the best team in the world – at an individual level, without a doubt.
"We are going to defend as we always do, by taking risks and playing face-to-face, trying to make sure that the only ball on the field is Spain's."
La Roja have certainly done a reasonable job in that respect in previous Nations League games, given they have had the most shots (126), shots on target (46), the best passing success (90.8 per cent) and best average possession (67.7 per cent) in this edition of the competition.
Luis Enrique still thinks they can get better, though.
"We still have the trump card of being a team," he continued. "We can still be a better team, we can still improve our performance.
"This is a wonderful sport that rewards those who play the best, we will try to be better than them collectively and make it happen."
But that is not to say Luis Enrique is underestimating the weapons France possess, with their front three of Karim Benzema, Kylian Mbappe and Antoine Griezmann – who is one match away from becoming only the ninth Les Bleus centurion – capable of doing damage.
"The power and quality of their front three is indisputable," Luis Enrique added. "They are very good and capable of deciding any match based on their individual quality.
"But we are not going to change one iota of what has brought us here, our ambition, our conviction and our quality."
KSAFA implements zero-tolerance policy for referee assaults
The Kingston and St. Andrew Football Association (KSAFA) has announced a strong new measure to protect referees, enforcing a zero-tolerance policy for physical assault against match officials. The decision, taken at a recent KSAFA Council meeting, introduces Article 55 - 3.2, a competition rule stating that “Any player who physically assaults a referee during a match will be automatically suspended for the remainder of the competition that they participate in.”
This newly instituted rule marks a decisive step by KSAFA to eliminate violence against referees and foster a safer, more respectful environment within football competitions. The rule imposes an immediate suspension on any player found to have assaulted a referee, and the suspension will remain in place for the entire season without the possibility of appeal.
In light of recent incidents highlighting the vulnerability of referees to mistreatment and physical attacks, including the withdrawal of services by match officials in the ISSA Schoolboy Football competition after attacks and delays in security response, KSAFA’s action signals a commitment to serious reform. Following a recent match where officials were physically assaulted, referees called for heightened protections and better working conditions, resulting in a temporary halt to several scheduled matches.
KSAFA President Mark Bennett stressed the importance of protecting referees, stating, “Referees are the backbone of our sport. Their safety and dignity must be respected. This rule demonstrates our commitment to creating a secure environment for all.”
To ensure effective enforcement, KSAFA will work alongside referees, clubs, and law enforcement agencies to investigate incidents and apply sanctions as swiftly as possible. This collaborative approach aims to instill a culture of respect for referees, reinforcing KSAFA’s stance that violence in football will not be tolerated.
Australia 0-0 Saudi Arabia: Visitors denied last-gasp winner on Renard's return
Saudi Arabia had a stoppage-time goal ruled out as Herve Renard's first game since returning as Saudi Arabia head coach ended in a 0-0 draw against Australia in World Cup qualifying.
Sultan Al-Ghannam fired through a sea of bodies in the 94th minute of Thursday's Group C contest at AAMI Park, but the celebrations were cut short due to an offside infringement.
Referee Ali Saeed Al Naqbi had earlier irked the home side by awarding a 12th-minute penalty for an Ahmed Al-Kassar challenge on Mitch Duke, which was then overturned.
Replays showed the incident happened just outside the box, but Australia felt the Saudi keeper should have been sent off and not issued just a yellow card.
Joe Gauci pulled off a fine double save later in the first half, albeit the offside flag later went up, but it was Australia who did more to win the game prior to the late drama.
Brandon Borrello was played clean through on goal and opted to square to Riley McGree, who was unable to help the ball past covering defender Saud Abdulhamid in front of goal.
Data Debrief: Another blank for both sides
Australia entered this game without a goal against Saudi Arabia in 2,716 days - a run that will extend for a little while longer after this latest blank.
The Socceroos have failed to score in three of their five third-round qualifying games, while Saudi Arabia have gone three in a row without netting.
Tony Popovic's side will justifiably argue they did more to win the game, though, finishing with an expected goals value (xG) of 1.31 to Saudi Arabia's 0.05, but the teams remain locked on points in Group C.
Bompastor unhappy with Chelsea performance despite maintaining 100% record
Sonia Bompastor was not happy with Chelsea's performance in their 2-1 away victory against Celtic in the Champions League on Wednesday, despite it extending her 100% record since joining the club.
The visitors had to fight back from a goal down after conceding a Murphy Agnew opener on 22 minutes but had turned things around 10 minutes later. Aggie Beever-Jones, meanwhile, was sent off in second-half stoppage time for two bookable offences.
While Bompastor was not impressed by her own side, she was quick to give credit to their opposition.
"I knew it would be a tough game for us, especially because of the Celtic mentality. They showed a lot of heart, and they played with a lot of energy. We were expecting that they were going to be really motivated," she said.
Chelsea came into this game without Millie Bright, Mayra Ramirez, Sjoeke Nusken and Kadeisha Buchanan, with Bompastor deciding to leave them out of the squad. It was a decision that resulted in some rustiness among the starters, according to the manager.
"I decided to rotate my squad, so sometimes it can happen that the players don't get the same chemistry together. But I wanted to have a better impression from my team. I'm really happy with the three points and the victory, but not really happy with the performance. We were not efficient enough tonight," she said.
"Every game is always an opportunity to learn. Tonight I learned a lot and I will share that with my players as a team, but also as individuals."
Following their Champions League victory, Chelsea face WSL leaders Manchester City at the weekend, with their opposition having dropped just two points in their opening seven league games.
Having given some fringe players a run out in Scotland, Bompastor was pleased at the prospect of a fresher squad going into such a big game.
"There are some positives. With our squad, we are still able to rotate players and rest some. We have the three points and the victory, so we stay in the good dynamic for that, but in terms of the performance, we needed to do a better job in different aspects," she added.
"As a manager, I always have different plans for the game and the three substitutions were planned. That's the positive. We are just now moving on and going into the Manchester City game exactly with the plans we wanted to have."
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