pain will have key duo Gavi and Rodri available for their final World Cup Group E collides with Japan on Thursday evening.
Both players trained separately from the main group in the Spanish camp on Tuesday, but for Gavi that was an upgrade after the Barcelona sensation missed out completely 24 hours earlier after taking a knock that forced him into the 1-1 draw with Germany . .
Rodri, meanwhile, operates as centre-back for Spain and played the full 90 minutes at Al Bayt Stadium, and neither he nor Gavi thought he was in any danger of missing the game against Japan due to injury.
Luis Enrique shouldn’t change too much as they want to seal the point that would guarantee their place in the last 16.
Álvaro Morata has scored in back-to-back games and looks like a safe bet to come in here and lead the attack, with Marco Asensio potentially dropping out.
Alvaro Morata should be in Spain’s starting eleven ahead of their Group E clash with Japan
/ AFP via Getty ImagesShould Gavi not be fit to start, Koke will be there to replace La Roja.
As for Japan, that remarkable defeat to Costa Rica, which wiped out all their hard work after a historic shock from Germany, may lead to some changes from coach Hajime Moriyasu.
They need to win, with a draw just enough to reach the last 16 if Costa Rica hold on to Germany at the same time. A defeat ends their journey in the group stage.
Former Arsenal striker Takuma Asano looks likely to start after his heroics against Germany and leaving the bench at half-time in the loss to Costa Rica.
Brighton’s Kaoru Mitoma, former Liverpool winger Takumi Minamino, Junya Ito and Hiroki Ito will also push for starts.
Predicted Japan XI: Gonda, Yamane, Yoshida, Itakura, H Ito, Endo, Morita, J Ito, Mitoma, Minamino, Asano
Predict Spain XI: Simon, Carvajal, Rodri, Laporte, Jordi Alba, Gavi, Busquets, Pedri, Torres, Olmo, Morata