Qualifying games live on DAZN
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On Saturday from 6:00 p.m., Turkey (9 points) will start the long-distance duel against Spain (12) for first place in World Cup qualifying Group E. While the Turks, whose football is rocked by betting manipulation, host the Bulgarians with no points, the previously flawless European champions are visiting Georgia (3) at the same time – both games are there live on DAZN.
To win the group, Turkey needs two wins against Bulgaria and Spain; the latter would have to “play along” in Georgia and drop points for the first time. Turkish national coach Vincenzo Montella is focusing on the detour to the World Cup via the playoffs.
“We have to reach the playoffs as a team in Pot 1. That’s why we don’t see the game against Bulgaria as preparation for the Spain game,” said Montella at the press conference on Friday evening. In the playoffs, the twelve group runners-up in Europe’s World Cup qualification play against four group winners in the Nations League. The four best runners-up in the group based on the FIFA world rankings come into Pot 1 and play in the playoff semi-finals at home against a team from Pot 4, in which the winners of the Nations League groups are waiting.
Pot 1 is important for the Turks, who are known for their bad luck both at club level and with the national team. Turkish teams are regularly assigned the toughest possible opponents.
Fenerbahce professional İsmail Yüksek said: “This generation deserves the World Cup until the end.” While Turkey has always taken part in the last three European Championships, they have been waiting to take part in a World Cup since finishing third in 2002. The defensive midfielder, who has been playing for Fener since 2020, is also not focusing on winning the group: “In every national team camp we live with the dream of the World Cup. We want to win and get the play-off ticket. I hope that I can do my part.”
The fact that both coach and player are holding the ball low is because they don’t have the group win on November 18th in Spain against their overwhelming opponents in their own hands. Four wins from four games with a goal difference of 15:0 – the Spanish European champions celebrated their highest success with a 6-0 win in Turkey – give little reason to hope for a slip-up in Georgia plus a Turkish away win in Seville.
While things are going well in terms of sport at Furia Roja, things are in crisis off the pitch because of Lamine Yamal. The winger left the Spaniards’ training camp at the behest of FC Barcelona. Spain coach Luis de la Fuente told El Larguero: “After we received the news, I went to his room. I’m not sure if he had heard anything from Barça. He was very disappointed. Yamal was in a good mood when he arrived and was really looking forward to the upcoming games.”
Even without the most valuable footballer in the world, the Spaniards have a squad value of 989 million euros. With the most valuable players in their history, Kenan Yıldız (Juventus) and Arda Güler (Real), the Turks only have 388 million euros. The third most valuable Can Uzun (Frankfurt) is missing due to a muscle injury.