Spain head coach Luis Enrique is happy for his players to have sex the night before matches at the World Cup but believes that participating in orgies would “not be ideal.”
The former Barcelona boss revealed his surprising stance, which is likely to please some of his squad members and their partners in Qatar, during a Twitch stream on Thursday night. And the relaxed approach has not done his squad any harm so far considering they destroyed Costa Rica 7-0 in their opening fixture on Wednesday afternoon.
Enrique has been using the streaming service to answer questions from supporters throughout the tournament in an attempt to feel closer to the 2010 champions’ fans. And when asked on Thursday night whether his players were allowed to have sex before a match, Enrique said: "It's something I consider totally normal. I mean if you're at an orgy the night before a match it's not ideal. But hey."
Germany will be hoping that the Spain squad’s extracurricular activities will tire them out before Sunday evening’s huge Group E clash at Al Bayt Stadium. A defeat for Hansi Flick’s side, who were shocked 2-1 by Japan in their opening game, would see them knocked out at the group stage in consecutive World Cups.
“We have analysed the game very well and seen our shortcomings and the areas we need to get better in,” Chelsea star Kai Havertz said. “Now we have to approach [Spain] as a true team and put our foot on the accelerator in a crunch game, but we will be prepared.”
Some Germany players appeared to be critical of each other’s performances after the Japan match. Having dominated for about an hour of the tie, they seemed at a loss to combat their opponents’ change in formation. But Havertz has promised that they will be a united force come Sunday.
“We had a fruitful exchange of views,” he said. “When we left, the feeling was that we have overriding willpower to decide the game in our favour. I felt irate at our performance. Sooner or later that gives way to a more clear or objective view that will be replaced by anticipation.
“Everyone needs to pull their weight and get back to a positive stride. A 7-0 win is a clear signal and we have great respect for the Spain team, we know they have quality but will we hide? Not at all.
“We just need to put it on pitch. Now is the time to speak to each other and tell each other the truth and that is what makes the team stronger. In the end we have good personalities and like to talk to each other face to face.
"Now we are in a bad moment but that can switch around quite fast. It can be the turning point for us. It is a big game. I am lucky I played a few big games at Chelsea.”
