CSo no one knows how to locate Georgia on a map. Few know how to pronounce Kvaratskhelia correctly, or write Mamardashvili correctly. Or they don’t know that the recurring suffix -shvili of their surnames is like our -ez in Spanish, which means ‘son of’. We have until Sunday to learn many things about a country (with which we ‘share’ Ilia Topuria) and a team practically unknown in these parts that, suddenly, crosses our path. Many will have in mind as the main memory of the Caucasian team the 3-1 in Valladolid or the 1-7 that we gave them in Tbilisi in the qualifying phase for this same Euro Cup. I suspect the impending duel won’t be as pleasant this time. You already know that there is no small enemy, but given the choice, I prefer small enemies. The Georgians will now be huge and full, but on paper Spain is superior. And it’s not conceit. It is time, however, to demonstrate it on the pitch.
What Georgia has contributed to this tournament, just like Spain has done, is the efficiency of working as a team. One of the readings so far is that The accumulation of stars in a selection, without there being a collective plan or proposal, does not guarantee anything. It is likely that in the coming encounters, for life or death, Whether it is the talent of some star or the individual spark of some renowned footballer that decides a match. But entrusting the classification to that resource, given what has been seen, offers fewer guarantees than clinging to the strength of the collective and a common football idea.
Equipment in hand is better than figures flying, one might deduce. Spain and Georgia have benefited greatly from this way of understanding football. On Sunday, that conceptual balance will be unbalanced by talent. There we have more.
