Spain can plot path to glory

Reaction to Friday’s difficult World Cup group stages draw was surprisingly confident in the Spanish camp.

Although Madrid sports paper AS immediately claimed the champions had been given ‘un Grupo Letal’ for next summer’s tournament in Brazil, La Roja coach Vicente Del Bosque rejected a suggestion he now faced a ‘Grupo de la Muerte’.

“I don’t know about a ‘Group of Death’, other groups are stronger,” Del Bosque said. “I thought we would get Holland in the first game, and look what happened. They will demand the best from us. Chile make it uncomfortable for rivals and have good players. And of course Australia could make life difficult for us.”