Spain didn't play particularly well in the group stage.
"This is a long road and this is a team that does not concede much," he said after a third consecutive clean sheet.
Ralf Rangnick came to the same conclusion after watching his Austria side be methodically dismantled during a 3-0 loss to Spain in the round of 32.
I think Spain, today, really showed us their best performance.
I would dare say that we did not only face the European champion, but the next world champion, too."
Spain didn't play particularly well in the group stage. The opening-round draw with Cape Verde was at least partially attributed to Lamine Yamal only being fit enough to play the final 15 minutes, and his restoration to the starting line-up sparked a 4-0 rout of Saudi Arabia on matchday two.
However, even with Yamal able to play 76 minutes of the 1-0 win over Uruguay that sealed top spot in Group H, Spain still didn't look like the side that won Euro 2024 in such impressive fashion, with both Yamal and fellow winger Nico Williams hampered by hamstring problems, and Pedri underperforming.
De la Fuente wasn't concerned, though. "This is a long road and this is a team that does not concede much," he said after a third consecutive clean sheet. "They're unbeatable."
Ralf Rangnick came to the same conclusion after watching his Austria side be methodically dismantled during a 3-0 loss to Spain in the round of 32.
"There’s really not much left for them to improve," the former Manchester United manager said. "They are a perfect clockwork. I cannot remember any unforced error they made... I think Spain, today, really showed us their best performance. I would dare say that we did not only face the European champion, but the next world champion, too." And Rangnick was right.
