Luis de la Fuente is avoiding risks, and although he has introduced some rotations, they are fewer than expected.
Most of the changes come in defense, while the biggest surprise is Samu starting as the reference in attack.
Still, he maintains his usual midfield trio: Pedri, Zubimendi—despite having trained partially on the sidelines—and Mikel Merino, positioned as an attacking midfielder.
Spain will line up as follows from the start: Unai Simón; Pedro Porro, Le Normand, Laporte, Grimaldo; Zubimendi, Pedri, Merino; Oyarzabal, Samu, and Baena.
On the bench alongside head coach Luis de la Fuente are: Raya, Remiro, Llorente, Vivian, Cubarsí, Cucurella, Aleix García, Barrios, Borja Iglesias, Yéremy Pino, De Frutos, and Jesús Rodríguez.
A victory over Group E’s bottom side, Bulgaria, would all but seal Spain’s qualification for the next World Cup. In fact, the ticket could be officially secured as early as the next matchday in Georgia this November.