De la Fuente praises Merino and his decisive brace in Split

Spain secured on Tuesday its place in the quarter‑finals of the Nations League by overturning a 1‑2 deficit at the Poljud stadium in Split, thanks to Mikel Merino’s brace, who replaced Álex Baena at halftime. The 30‑year‑old midfielder scored in the 61st and 88th minutes, turning the score against Croatia.

The comeback in Split

Ivan Perišić opened the scoring for Croatia in the 17th minute, giving the home side an early lead. Spain needed at least a draw to guarantee its qualification, but the early goal required a response.

Merino, who came on in the second half, displayed his ‘box‑to‑box’ profile by arriving late in the box without neglecting defensive pressure. His ability to join the attack from a deeper position explained the potency of his two goals, which sealed the win.

Luis de la Fuente’s assessment

In the post‑match press conference, Luis de la Fuente praised Merino: “Merino is one of those footballers whose full football talent is not recognised. Surely, in other countries, he would be more valued if he were of another nationality.”

The coach also highlighted the player’s level in the second half, stating that “in the second half we have seen many players of a world‑top level and Mikel is one of them”. He recalled that, before the World Cup, he had said he would go and fetch him personally if necessary.

The brace not only saved the result, but also kept the Spanish side’s unbeaten run intact under De la Fuente’s direction. With the win, Spain ranks among the eight best teams in the competition.

For its part, Croatia came into the match with low morale after having suffered a 0‑7 loss to England in Rijeka days earlier, which made the performance gap between the two sides more evident.