Luis de la Fuente’s side won Group H with seven points after drawing 0-0 with Cape Verde before defeating Saudi Arabia 4-0 and Uruguay 1-0. While Spain haven’t always hit top gear, the head coach believes his team is improving with every game.
“This team is used to breaking records and overcoming rough patches; we are determined to keep moving forward,” said de la Fuente, adding that the players will begin to identify areas that need improvement as the tournament progresses.
Austria, meanwhile, are enjoying their best World Cup campaign in more than seven decades. Ralf Rangnick’s men finished second in Group J after defeating Jordan 3-1, losing 2-0 to Argentina and drawing 3-3 with Algeria. Although Austria scored six goals in the group stage, Rangnick admitted his side must raise their level against an unbeaten Spanish side.
One of Austria’s biggest challenges will be stopping 18-year-old Lamine Yamal. The Spanish winger is back from a hamstring injury and is expected to play a bigger role in the knockout rounds after scoring once during the group stage.
Historically, Spain hold the upper hand, remaining unbeaten in their last five meetings with Austria, although their last World Cup meeting ended in a 2-1 victory for Austria in 1978.
The winner of Thursday’s clash will advance to face either Portugal or Croatia in the Round of 16, with both sides chasing a place in the final 16 of the tournament.