Iniesta unconcerned with Spain display
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Andres Iniesta has rounded on Spain's critics after
their nervy 1-0 win over Croatia but reiterated his belief that the Euro
2012 will hard to win.
Vicente Del Bosque's team were just one goal away from being dumped out at the group stages for most of the game against an obdurate Croatian side but eventually made the breakthrough three minutes from time thanks to a Jesus Navas goal.
Iniesta laid the ball into Navas for a simple finish in one of the very few constructive moves Spain put together all night, but the Barcelona midfielder says it is impossible to win every game easily.
He told Marca: "All the criticism is valid as long as it is constructive. Everyone has their own way of looking at things. When we don't like what we have seen we don't think it is correct, but I would say to the fans to be calm and to believe in the team no matter who plays because every team has its difficult moments.
"We had ours because we are not an exception. It is true we would have liked to have won 2-0 or 3-0 but it wasn't like this. Iker (Casillas) put in a fantastic performance. We respect the fans and what they think but I would say the team is fine and we remain in the fight.
"Before the start of the Euros we said that to win again would be the most difficult target yet. The opponent can also play. Croatia is a great team and they have players of a very high level that want to beat the world champions. In two years' time it will be even more difficult still. This is part of the goal, to win what we have already but with more difficulty."
Iniesta did though expand on a comment made by team-mate Sergio Busquets that after progressing so far in all competitions at both club and international level there is a degree of fatigue amongst the squad.
"Perhaps that is the case," he said.
"We had phases of everything - good moments with the ball where we could dominate but also moments of doubt. A little of that was as a result of how the game was evolving. It is not easy to play when you know that a draw is enough but a goal for them will put you out.
"It is also the third game and the demands of the competition wears you down, but I would like to think that in this competition this was the game in which we have suffered most and now it has passed.
"We have enough days ahead of Saturday and the Spanish national team always gets stronger as these tournaments go on. I have confidence that will be the case this time too."
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