Chelsea: Cesar Azpilicueta well rested because Spain were not bothered

This World Cup was there for the taking for Spain. Then they self sabotaged at every turn, not least of which ignoring Chelsea’s Cesar Azpilicueta.

The story started in the Champions League final. Daniel Carvajal left injured early on and his World Cup was in doubt. Meanwhile, as Spain prepared for the World Cup, they utilized Chelsea’s Cesar Azpilicueta as a centerback in a back four. By all accounts, it went well. And looking at the roster, one would have expected Azpilicueta to be the first name on the team sheet to replace Carvajal.

Fast forward to Spain’s first self sabotage of the summer. Julen Lopetegui took the Real Madrid job left vacant by Zinedine Zidane. This would not have prevented him from managing Spain at the World Cup. But the Royal Spanish Football Federation was so furious at this perceived betrayal that they sacked Lopetegui mere days before the World Cup started.

Lopetegui had taken Spain into a new era. No longer did they pass for passing’s sake. They had vertical to their play and penetration in the final third. He brought in a new breed of Spanish players as he stepped away from the Barcelona-Real Madrid duopoly. But without him, Spain began to revert to form. And there is no better example of this than the zero minutes Azpilicueta played in the World Cup.

In the first match, Azpilicueta was knocked down the roster by Real Madrid’s Nacho Fernandez. Fernandez cost the side a goal despite scoring one to make up for it. The next saw matches saw the return of Carvajal. His fitness was still an issue but he was trusted as one of the old boys.

But the next match was the ultimate showcase of how Spain self sabotaged. Carvajal, believed unfit, should have been replaced by Azpilicueta. Instead he was replaced by Nacho Fernandez once more. The match was a showcase in how not to play possession football.

Spain’s strategy can be boiled down easily. Pass the ball. Did it go into the net? No? Pass the ball again. Continue until tika-taka is well and truly dead. The only player who seemed to try the old ways of Lopetegui was Diego Costa. He was subbed off for his efforts.

It was everything that had gone wrong under Spain after their amazing run between 2008 and 2012. Lopetegui had moved them away in the right way, but they reverted to type. Azpilicueta not playing was a sign that the old ways were returning.

That match against Russia might have been different had Spain trusted players like Azpilicueta. Professionals that have been so often ignored in favor of the Barca-Real duopoly. Azpilicueta should have come in for Carvajal. In fact, he could have come in for Gerard Pique whose time has well and truly come.

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Spain, frankly, self sabotaged at almost every chance. This World Cup was theirs for the taking. Instead they reverted to the old, stale ways that were found out years ago. Azpilicueta deserves better from the Spanish National Team. But they ignored him and are out of the World Cup.