The Spanish team is already mathematically in first place and De la Fuente admits he could give fringe players a chance on Monday.
More balance:
"Winning puts you in the spotlight more, but I have always felt valued and loved. That makes me happy.
"I care about the recognition of my players, and I have always had that. Now we can be first in the FIFA rankings and that is very nice. Two years ago we were 11th in the FIFA rankings..."
Why don't Pedri and Dani Olmo play together in the national team?
"No, not at all, it's very easy to combine them. Don't get obsessed with these issues, you like them. In the same way they play with Fabián, Merino, Oyarzaba... We have such good players and so many options that sometimes we have to play with that line-up and other times with another. They can play together but also with other teammates. It's not a debate. I don't see it that way, quite the opposite."
Possible rivals in the quarter-finals and possible debut of Samu Omorodion?
"The truth is that I have always said that this competition is as difficult as a Euro Cup. We started with the top 16 teams, which we achieved on our own merits. We will call it whatever it is called, but the difficulty is exactly the same. Now we have to play the quarter-finals against France, Germany, Portugal... whoever. The important thing is that we have achieved the objective of being first. The second is neither more nor less merit, it is my job.
":We know Spanish football very well because we have worked with it. I think it is very important to know the players and the evolution that these players have had. That Samu or any other player appears now and has that impact may perhaps surprise us, but not us. We are lucky to have these players and not only these, many others who will appear. We have a good present and a better future. Spanish football is very healthy and in very good shape."
Marc Casadó:
"Fantastic. He has surprised us all. I didn't know him personally, but he is a young lad, very sensible, mature, responsible. It is because of these details that he is performing as he is. He has a long way to go. He is another of those footballers who has not surprised us. Perhaps we have been surprised by his emergence in such a short time, which is why I always claim that these footballers should be given opportunities."
More open-door training sessions:
"Today was also a very special situation. Let's not forget the reason for this match, which is to show solidarity and support for the victims and the families of the victims of the dramatic events in Spain. I don't know what will happen in the future. We also put the benefit of the players first. It could be a training session with a significant tactical load. We will value the closeness we try to have with the public in a special way in the future."
Canarian players:
"Different... I think that football has become very global. Before we could talk about a lot of specificity in each territory. Now it has become more equal and they are very complete in all places, whether in the north, the south, the east or the west. They are exceptional footballers, with fantastic technical quality, a very important job that makes them very complete players, among the best in the world. The luck is that they are Spanish. The atmosphere is fantastic, incredible. We expect a fantastic atmosphere, to enjoy.
"Sure, they all have an important motivation, but especially if you play in your homeland (La Canaria). You have your homeland here, friends... a very important attachment. In addition, they love their homeland very much. They all speak wonders of their homeland."