Preview

(See: Spain’s qualifiers for Italia’90)

Already in October 1989, before their first decider against Hungary,  Luis Suárez announced a 34 man strong preliminary squad that he would monitor in the following qualifiers and friendlies, as well as ahead of Italia’90. His list included the following players.

Goalkeepers: Zubizarreta (Barcelona), Ochotorena (Valencia), Biurrun (Athl. Bilbao).
Defenders: López Rekarte (Barcelona), Serna (Barcelona), José Lemos (Valladolid), Górriz (Sociedad), Jiménez (Sevilla), Quique (Valencia), Chendo (Real Madrid), Sanchís (Real Madrid), Tomas (Atl. Madrid), Andrinúa (Athl. Bilbao), Patxi Ferreira (Athl. Bilbao), Juanito (Zaragoza).
Midfielders: Beguiristáin (Barcelona), Eusebio (Barcelona), Milla (Barcelona), Roberto (Barcelona), Luis Minguela (Valladolid), Rafa Paz (Sevilla), Ramon (Sevilla), Fernando (Valencia), Míchel (Real Madrid), Martín Vázquez (Real Madrid), Fernando Hierro (Real Madrid), Paco Llorente (Real Madrid), Felipe (Tenerife), Villarroya (Zaragoza).
Forwards: Julio Salinas (Barcelona), Eloy (Valencia), Butragueño (Real Madrid), Manolo (Atl. Madrid), Pardeza (Zaragoza).

To this list should also be included Bakero (Barcelona), who was injured at the time. Luis Suárez added that he also would follow the U21 team, which had interesting prospects like the three Athletic players Garitano, Mendiguren and Alkorta.

Draw

Spain were involved in a controversy before the draw, as they initially were promised to be seeded, before learning shorly before the draw itself that they would only be second seeds, with England instead taking place in the top drawer of the seeding.
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Preparation programme

13.12.1989, Tenerife
Spain 2-1 Switzerland
Spain:

21.02.1990, Alicante
Spain 1-0 Czechoslovakia
Spain (3-5-2): Zubizarreta – Górriz, Andrinúa (Juanito 62′), Manuel Sanchís – Chendo, Michel (Rafa Paz 62′), Martín Vázquez, Roberto (Milla 53′), Villaroya – Butragueño (c) (Pardeza 62′), Manolo (Julio Salinas 79′).

28.03.1990, Málaga
Spain 2-3 Austria
Spain (4-4-2): Zubizarreta – Chendo (Quique Flores 56′), Jiménez, Andrinúa, Sanchís – Roberto (Górriz 56′), Michel,  Martín Vázquez (Rafa Paz 56′), Villaroya – Butragueño (c) (Pardeza 38′), Manolo (Julio Salinas 70′).

26.05.1990, Ljubljana
Yugoslavia 0-1 Spain

Squad selection

Luis Suárez’s team selection was anncounced relatively late. There was published a pre-selectoin squad on 14 May 1990, before a final selection was made at the end of May 1990.

Among the doubtful players in Luis Suárez squad was Quique, the reglar left back in the qualifiers, who had sustained an injury on 7 April, and not yet was back in match fitness. He did make it for the final squad, though.

Arrival in Italy

Spain arrived in Italy 27 May 1990 with Udine as their destination. Their trip was a short one, as they had played the friendly against Yugoslavia in Ljubljana only the day before.

World Cup stage

TBC