Cape Verde draw 'put us on alert', admits Spain's Marc Cucurella

[p][b]"Maybe with this ‌scare we've put ourselves on alert,"[/b] [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/cucurella-marc/QTynbZd3/"]Cucurella[/a] ‌told reporters. [b]"We realised that it's not easy to be ‌here, that we have to be 100% focused ‌in every match... because any team can beat you."[/b][/p][p][b]"I think it's good that it happened to us in [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/cape-verde-MocyWdm7/spain-bLyo6mco/?mid=Iiqjm5Pq"]the ‌first match[/a],"[/b] he continued. [b]"Because maybe it ⁠happens to you in ‌another round and you go home."[/b][/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/spain/bLyo6mco/"]Spain[/a] were not the ​only top team to struggle in their opening game at the tournament, with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/portugal/WvJrjFVN/"]Portugal[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/belgium/GbB957na/"]Belgium[/a] ​also held to draws by lower-ranked opponents.[/p][p][b]"It's becoming clear, not just for us, that no match ⁠has been easy,"[/b] ​Cucurella said. [b]"All the teams that have come here, are here because they qualified, because they're talented."[/b][/p][embed guid="dc2ab7cf-5f8d-4c34-9224-ce41d3ee6e1b" url="https://x.com/SEFutbol/status/2067673784564285614" social-type="twitter" /][p]After being kept off the scoresheet by [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/cape-verde/MocyWdm7/"]Cape Verde[/a], Cucurella said ‌Spain were expecting a similar challenge on [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/saudi-arabia-biSY8ox4/spain-bLyo6mco/?mid=CASh7QGF"]Sunday when they face Saudi Arabia[/a], who drew 1-1 with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/uruguay/xMk44orG/"]Uruguay[/a] in their opening game.[/p][p][b]"A very good team defensively that will try to take advantage of their counter-attacking options,"[/b] Cucurella said of [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/saudi-arabia/biSY8ox4/"]Saudi Arabia[/a], who at the 2022 World Cup pulled off a stunning 2-1 victory over eventual champions [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/argentina/f9OppQjp/"]Argentina[/a].[/p][p]Cucurella said ‌Spain were not expecting to replicate their unbeaten run ​from the 2024 European Championship at the ‌World Cup, but the team are eager to bring their best version to the pitch on Sunday.[/p][p][b]"We know what we've missed, we're working on it this week," he said. "And hopefully we can ⁠play a great ⁠match and secure those ‌three points."[/b][/p][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/soccer/world/world-championship/"]Follow Spain vs Saudi Arabia and every World Cup match on Flashscore.[/a][/b][/p][infobox id="4ccc1b10-d68f-4c97-bcf4-5e613c17c2e3" /]