​Spain head into Friday’s second quarter-final against Belgium at Los Angeles Stadium in top form, aiming to book a place in the semi-finals where they would face France. They arrive riding a remarkable 36-match unbeaten run in competitive fixtures under the guidance of Luis de la Fuente, a streak that has been built on a rock-solid defense that has yet to concede a goal in the tournament. After a goalless opener with Cape Verde, La Roja found their attacking rhythm with a commanding 4-0 triumph over Saudi Arabia and a tight 1-0 win against Uruguay. Those characteristics carried into the knockout rounds, with a 3-0 victory over Austria followed by a hard-fought 1-0 win against Portugal.
On the fitness front, Nico Williams remains a doubt as he battles an adductor issue picked up in the Uruguay game. Yéremy Pino is also set to miss the rest of the tournament after sustaining a serious collarbone injury. Víctor Muñoz is unavailable due to a lingering muscle problem in his leg, which means Álex Baena is expected to continue on the left wing to provide creativity and balance for the side. In defense, Pedro Porro looks likely to keep his place ahead of Marcos Llorente, with Pau Cubarsí and Aymeric Laporte forming the central spine as Spain seek to maintain their defensive supremacy against Belgium’s potent attack.
Possible Spain starting XI: Simon; Porro, Cubar­si, Laporte, Cucurella; Rodri, Pedri; Yamal, Olmo, Baena; Oyarzabal. The match is scheduled to kick off at 8pm BST on Friday, July 10. UK viewers can watch the Spain vs Belgium World Cup quarter-final live on BBC One.
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