SAINT-MARTIN-DE-RE, France (AP) — Three matches into the European Championship and Spain again is talking about its goalkeepers.
The doubts that surrounded the team before Euro 2016 apparently had been put to rest when coach Vicente Del Bosque named David De Gea as the starter in place of veteran Iker Casillas. But a shaky performance by the Manchester United player against Croatia re-ignited questions about whether he is the right choice in goal for the two-time defending champions.
De Gea was criticized for failing to make a stop in Croatia’s winning goal in Bordeaux on Tuesday, an 87th-minute low shot by Ivan Perisic that got past the goalkeeper at the near post. De Gea outstretched his right leg to try to make the save but was not able reach the ball. Even though the shot deflected slightly off Gerard Pique’s foot, De Gea appeared to be out of position to protect the near side.
The goal gave Croatia a 2-1 win and dropped Spain to second place in Group D, which means that it will have to play Italy in the round of 16 in a rematch of the final won by the Spaniards four years ago.
Some contend that De Gea could also be blamed for Croatia’s first goal, saying he should have done more to try to intercept a cross that allowed Nikola Kalinic to score an equalizer from in front of the goal just before halftime.
“You only lose if you give up hope,” De Gea said on Twitter a day after the match. “Thanks for the criticism, it motivates me. We’ll keep fighting.”
Del Bosque, who waited until the last minute to give De Gea the starting role in France, defended the goalkeeper.
“We can’t blame De Gea for the goals,” Del Bosque said. “If we lose, it’s everybody’s fault.”
But Spanish media immediately began speculating about whether Del Bosque would bring back Casillas, the indisputable starter for Spain as it won the last two European Championships and the 2010 World Cup.
There had already been talk about Casillas starting against Croatia because Spain had qualified in advance, but in the end Del Bosque decided to keep the same 11 from the first two matches and did not give any rest to the regular starters.
Striker Manuel “Nolito” Agudo dedicated his goal in the match against Turkey to the 35-year-old Casillas.
“Casillas remains well respected within the group,” Spain midfielder Cesc Fabregas said. “He is still acting as our captain even though he is not playing.”
Spain hadn’t conceded a goal in seven straight European Championship games, but it had lost 1-0 to Georgia in its final warm-up match ahead of Euro 2016, when the 25-year-old De Gea was in goal.
He got to make his senior tournament debut in France despite getting embroiled in an off-the-field controversy just three days before the opening match, when his name appeared in a police investigation into a Spanish pornographic filmmaker. He has denied any wrongdoing.
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