Romania-Spain is a match in the group stage of the European Under-21 Championship 2023 and will be played on Wednesday at 20:45: news, formations and predictions.
Will the home advantage be enough for Romania to reduce the wide gap with one of the favourite selections for the final victory like Spain? If we take a look at the two roses at the disposal of the respective technical commissioners, Emil Sandoi on the one hand and Santi Denia on the other, it is really difficult to assume a positive result for the Romanian national team, which has the burden and the honour of organising this Under-21 European Championship together with Georgia.
Qualified by right as the organising country of the final phase of the continental event, Romania is grappling with numerous questions. In the last ten matches played since 2021, it has only achieved one victory in March 2022 against Finland. Otherwise, three draws and six defeats. One of these was against Spain, which overwhelmed the Tricolorii in September with a resounding 4-1 victory. Nothing to do, in short, with the 2019 team, which surprisingly went all the way to the semifinals (best result in a European Championship). Sandoi, in order to snatch a pass for the knockout phase, must pull off a feat: he will need goals from Daniel Birligea, the former Palermo Primavera centre forward, as well as the inventions of Parma’s Valentin Mihaila. Spain, on the other hand, are the big favourites in Group B, which is also populated by two less strong but insidious selections such as Ukraine and Croatia.
The Rojita come to Romania with a very long unbeaten streak behind them: their last defeat came in June 2021, when they defeated Portugal in the previous edition. There have been 14 positive results between official matches and friendlies for one of the most successful selections at this level – Spain won in 1986, 1998, 2011, 2013 and 2019 – which, as usual, has a valuable squad. The two stars are Sancet and Baena but the one destined to take centre stage is Gabri Veiga, a pure talent from Celta Vigo.
Sandoi
The Prediction
Last September’s friendly, although dated, gives us some important indications and is a proof of the huge gap between the two selections. Spain should have no problem prevailing over Romania, scoring between two and four goals.
Romania v Spain official lineups
- ROMANIA U21 (4-3-1-2): Tarnovanu; Pantea, Dican, Racovitan, Ticu; Screciu, Albu; Isfan, Baiaram, Petrila; Birligea.
- SPAN U21 (4-3-3): Tenas; Martinez, Gila, Pacheco, Gomez; Sancet, Gonzalez, Baena; R. Sanchez, Ruiz, Riquelme.
POSSIBLE RESULT: 1-4
