The further away from home he is, the better chance Alvaro Morata has for Spain. Morata will benefit from getting away from Seville as Spain play in Copenhagen, and hopefully in Saint Petersburg and London.
He’ll play with the same passion but with less pressure. He’ll be more liberated, without feeling as though he’s in the eye of a storm. He’ll feel valued by the small number of Spaniards fortunate enough to see the national team play.
Nobody is unaware that Morata is lacking finesse in front of goal. That, as a No.9, is something he’s punished for. But his dedication, commitment and work rate cannot be disputed, nor can his off-the-ball movements that his teammates benefit from.
Alvaro chooses cava, buys it, puts it in the fridge, takes it out, readies it, but when he tries to open it the cork breaks and doesn’t come out clearly. It’s unfair, and for some time now he has tried, committed and sacrificed for the result but to no real avail. His insistence shouldn’t be punished.
But we’ll toast. As his latest slogan says: “trying again is better than trying, it means you never give up”.