In a recent interview, Spanish defender Nacho shared his journey from almost fading out of the national team to returning to the Euro stage, and expressed his anticipation for the upcoming semifinal with France.
Nacho admits that he thought for a while that he might be out of the national team. He mentioned the excitement of winning the UEFA Champions League last year with the team, but at the beginning of this year he realized that he wasn't in the coach's plan, which made him shocked and gradually accepted the reality that he might be out of the national team. However, thanks to his outstanding performance at the club, Nacho eventually managed to return to the national team and play with them in the Europa League. For this hard-earned opportunity, Nacho said it was the best reward for his hard work over the year.
Reflecting on the Europa League journey, Nacho said that his team went through a torrid time in the quarterfinals, but in the end was able to win the tournament and advance to the quarterfinals, which made him and his teammates very happy. He believes that this level of competition is inherently challenging and uncertain, but the team always maintained a good mentality and fighting spirit, which is the key to their ability to get to this point.
Speaking about his personal performance, Nacho said he set goals at the beginning of the season to win the title with Real Madrid and be selected for the national team. Now that both goals have been realized, he feels very satisfied and proud. At the same time, he also thanked the coach and teammates for their trust and support, allowing him to play his best level on the field.
Nacho showed great confidence and anticipation for the upcoming semi-final against France. He believes that France is a team with strong physical strength and high level of players, but they are also capable of taking the initiative. Nacho said that he and his teammates will do their best to take the initiative in the match and eliminate their opponents to enter the final. At the same time, he also mentioned the impact of Carvajal's absence due to injury on the team, but believes that players such as Navas will be able to fill the gap and put in a good performance.
In addition, Nacho talked about the team's mentality in the Europa League. He believes that the team always wants to go on the offensive and win the game, but also adjusts its tactics according to the opponent and the game situation. He emphasized that the team's performance on the defensive end is equally important, as only a good defense can ensure that they don't make mistakes and fight for victory in the game.
Finally, Nacho expressed his gratitude and support to the fans. He said he will work hard with his teammates to bring more exciting games and victories to the fans.
