“Wtf is he doing in this lineup”, “Not serious” – Fans react as Spain star included in XI to face Portugal in Nations League final

Some fans online are unhappy with manager Luis de la Fuente’s decision to start Oscar Mingueza in the UEFA Nations League final between Spain and Portugal. The two sides are set to face off at Allianz Arena on Sunday, June 8.

Spain booked their spot in the showpiece of the competition after defeating France 5-4 in the semi-final. In the other semi-final, Portugal came from behind to defeat host Germany 2-1. Going into the final, both teams will be looking to be the first team to win the Nations League for the second time. La Roja are defending champions, while Seleção das Quinas won the inaugural edition in 2019.

De la Fuente made two changes to his team that played against France ahead of their match against Portugal. Oscar Mingueza replaced Pedro Porro in the right-back position, while Fabián Ruiz came in for Mikel Merino in midfield.

Among the two changes, Mingueza’s inclusion in the starting XI doesn’t seem to sit well with some fans who expressed their displeasure on social media.

An X (formerly Twitter) user wrote:

Another tweeted:

Spanish forward Mikel Oyarzabal is confident in his side’s ability to defeat Portugal in Munich. In the pre-match press conference, the 28-year-old insisted that Spain are capable of winning against any team. He said (via RFEF’s website):

He continued:

The last time Spain and Portugal faced off was in the group stages of the Nations League in 2022, with the Spaniards coming out on top with a 1-0 win.

Ezekiel Olamide

Ezekiel is a European football journalist who covers breaking news and transfer rumors at Sportskeeda. He is currently pursuing an undergraduate degree in Accounting and has a work experience of around 3 years, having previously worked at the likes of Opera News Hub and Extratime Talk. He is a proponent of factual accuracy, meticulous research, verification of sources and journalistic ethics and standards.

An ardent Chelsea fan, Ezekiel’s journey as a football fan began in his childhood, witnessing Ronaldinho dazzle with his skills. His interest in the beautiful game deepened after Nigeria were knocked out of the 2010 FIFA World Cup; he was impressed with the Super Eagles’ fighting spirit in their 2-2 Group B draw against South Korea. Some other World Cup matches which have left a deep impact on him were Belgium’s incredible comeback against Japan in the round of 16 of the 2018 version and the 2022 final.

Lionel Messi is the one true GOAT for Ezekiel and he also follows the Major League Soccer and the Saudi Pro League owing to him and Cristiano Ronaldo. When not writing, he spends his free time deepening his SEO knowledge and watching skits.

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