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Tokyo, July 19 (IANS) Luis de la Fuente, the Spanish football team coach, says he is under "no pressure" ahead of his side's first game against Egypt on Thursday at the Tokyo Olympic Games.
Spain go into the Games as clear favourite for a medal with players such as Unai Simon, Mikel Oyarzabal, Mikel Merino, Pau Torres, and Eric Garcia in a squad with plenty of experience, reports Xinhua.
"It's a dream come true," said de la Fuente, who usually coaches the Spain under-21 side.
"We can compete against everyone, and I want the players to think they can battle for the top prize."
"Looking at it objectively, such as the capacity that this team has and with what they have done in other competitions, we have what we need. There could be teams as good as us, but nobody is better than Spain," he insisted.
"We want to live the dream, we want to live it together, and we want to achieve something that will allow us to go down in history," added de la Fuente, who believes that the full side reaching the semi-finals of the recent European Championship had been a help.
"It strengthened the feeling that the fans had towards the team and helped us to recover that sentiment. Everything that has happened over the past few weeks and months has raised expectations of what this team can do in the Olympics. This is a good moment for Spanish football and for the supporters," explained the coach.
The coach said he was "very proud and incredibly happy" to be able to coach Spain.
"I am enjoying it, and I am very privileged: how am I going to feel under pressure if I am doing something that I enjoy doing? I am enjoying preparing for the Olympic Games with some fantastic players and with excellent companions in my job... How am I going to feel pressure?"
"I am going to do what I enjoy doing, and whatever happens will happen," he concluded.
--IANS
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