Euro 2012: Spain vindicated and strengthened,says Xavi
Spanish midfielder Xavi said the whole team, not just back-to-form striker Fernando Torres, had emerged strengthened by Thursday's 4-0 Euro 2012 flattening of Ireland.
- Agence France-Presse
- Updated: June 15, 2012 02:12 PM IST
Spanish midfielder Xavi said the whole team, not just back-to-form striker Fernando Torres, had emerged strengthened by Thursday's 4-0 Euro 2012 flattening of Ireland.
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"It's a great result for the confidence of the group. The boss (Vicente Del Bosque) is strengthened by it and so is el Niño (Torres) because he participated in the game and scored two goals and in general we all come out stronger," said the Barcelona midfield general.
Xavi said in the opening draw against Italy the team had not played badly but had suffered from a dry pitch which did not help their high tempo passing game.
"There we had the problem of the (long) grass and also we were playing Italy, so it was a match between the last two world champions," said Xavi.
But he insisted "the philosophy is not negotiable" and Spain would not change their style.
Manchester City's David Silva, also on target along with Cesc Fabregas, also said that confidence was on a high.
"This result will give confidence a boost - after the Italy game a lot of things were said," he noted, in allusion to Spain's rather laboured and cautious approach with Torres benched until the closing stages.