"I'm not upset," said Luis Enrique, but he was upset. He showed it there, pointing to the southern end of the Wanda Metropolitano, where at long last, Friday 4 June, fans were back: 14,743 of them in all. And he eventually showed it after the match, with Spain's coach finally saying what he meant in the press room at the bottom of the stands after their first pre-Euro 2020 friendly, a 0-0 draw vs Portugal.
"That last play in which lvaro Morata, after suppressing himself and helping us in many ways, was posing a threat, being a constant problem for the Portuguese players, was doing an incredible job, still 40 Able to go for a meter run. At full speed and dodge the goalkeeper, but unfortunately the ball goes a fraction higher and hits the bar," said Luis Enrique. "I think it's something that people should stand up and close their fingers. But obviously, I have to be the person who knows the least amount of football."
he must be. International managers are always there. Anyway less than a few Spaniards fans, who after the second half, in which Morata had three or four chances against Portugal, saw him clearly, cut from the inside and got one last chance from the bar. It was probably his best shots - too close, but not too perfect - and this time, in a game that ended without a score, it inspired a spell. "Morata, Que Malo Ares!" it went.
It means: Morata, how bad are you! And, yes, it came from fans in Spain.
There were a few whistles the whole time, but the Spain coach said he didn't care much for those guys. In fact, he said he didn't even realize it - and it's true that while some supporters applauded, others tried to clap and whistle with cheers.
"It doesn't affect me," he insisted, "and I'm not going to make a mistake on the pitch. But it bothers me that it's done to my players."
By the end of Spain's first fair game at Euros last week, Luis Enrique deserved to feel even more annoyed.
Again, Morata was subject to whistleblowers from fans as Spain could only draw 0–0 with Sweden, with the best of two chances falling his way. "Morata gives us a lot - a lot more than you think," said Luis Enrique this time. What he didn't give them was the target, but it didn't justify the reaction, and his companions soon came out to defend him.
"Alvaro is important to us," said Marcos Llorente. "Luck was not with her in front of Lakshya today, but she will change. I don't think it's good to whistle her. Anyone would want fans to appreciate and support her."
Various explanations exist as to why some Spaniards reacted, not least the fact of who they are. and who's that. Luis Enrique has rarely been popular in Madrid, not since he left the Bernabeu for Barcelona – certainly not since he made such a point about how much better he was there, turning people around. More than a sign of joy.
Then, this summer, he named a squad from Spain that not many people liked. In fact, 72% of people in a poll disagreed with it. There were many reasons for this, and some of them were legitimate. For example the absence of Jesus Navas and Iago Aspas, or Nacho Fernandez. The fact is that there really was no write-back. The inclusion of Pablo Sarabia, a decision which Luis Enrique admitted "would have surprised him too."
Then there was the absurd allegation that he was somehow for Real Madrid.
Listen, if you can, to this podcast, and you'll hear how delectable it can be. One line kept coming up again and again: Luis Enrique was the opponent of Madrid. He was there for them. As he always had.
Yes, the Spain manager was intentionally hurting Spain - his team, his career, his biggest moment - despite it, as if to satisfy a long-standing grievance. Oh really. On some level, all that noisy (albeit ridiculous) fan reaction was joined in. In that friendly against Portugal, the profile of some fans at the stadium probably came to the fore when former Real Madrid defender Pepe was withdrawn for a standing ovation, a contrast that would later prove brutal in how he reacted to Morata. .
That said, it should be noted that even Spain fans spent the entire game booing Cristiano Ronaldo as some sort of pantomime villain. It should also be said - and this is really important - that this was not the whole stadium. He didn't even have half. It was probably no more than two hundred people, certainly not when it came to spells.
There were more football reasons for backlash, and let's not forget about this or be overly purist: In Spain, fans blow the whistle. They sometimes get on the backs of their own players. And then make them happy next time. That's what they do.
Beyond that, there are doubts about the national team, which recently clashed against Greece and, um, then drew six behind Germany. Players are missing. Has Lord Barrington Aspas been mentioned yet? Important. There were moments of concern, and a position as important as the goalkeeper remains a matter of concern. And it ended 0-0. And Morata missed opportunities that no one else might miss, which he sometimes does.
Exactly the same as against Sweden. He becomes an easy target (and you can insert your own. Isn't it ironic? Comment here)
When it comes to Morata there is a sense of unfinished brilliance, perhaps more than that. At times in his career it has seemed that Morata is on the run, in search of a happiness that is always out of reach. He left Real Madrid and went on to say that Atletico Madrid was his boyhood team - quite honestly, that may have played a part in the fans' reactions as well - but then moved on to Juventus. Whatever the team is, and it's had a few seasons.
But he's also had moments when it seems he can't score, when it seems to be eating him up. Moments when he is brilliant but that soon slips off his fingers, a player of good and bad runs. Moments when opportunities go on begging, when he is not as good as he should be, when he feels something is missing. A killer instinct, a clumsiness, something - his family told him he had to be like Diego Costa when he went to Chelsea in 2017 - and you wonder if you can trust him. Some mean that those who missed Friday night didn't feel like it was just Friday night.
But here's the thing: While this may increase the frustration of fans and the temptation to lash it out at him, it's not a reason to get on a player's back like this. Quite the opposite. And to reiterate: these weren't just whistles. They were really singing at him, telling him how bad he was. He's off the field all that time and you come back and do this to your own player? seriously?
And to Morata, of all the people?
There has been an overwhelming hint of vulnerability at times about Morata, a feeling that things just weren't quite right. It was hard not to listen to the chants and think that the fans had chosen the player they could hurt the most, whom they could drown the most, and beyond all the human element, makes you wonder how stupid they are. .
Morata has spoken openly — remarkably openly, in fact, about pressure — about not always feeling right in the past, about going under his head. Take this line: "Sometimes I go home, start the game and think 'How could I miss this?' It affects you; it also affects you to know that your career also depends on the opinions of journalists, fans, directors, and sometimes they are not really qualified to judge.' What He scored? No? An S---game.'"
As Luis Enrique says, I must be the one who knows the least. Morata knows that, but that doesn't make him impenetrable, it doesn't mean it's not on his mind, and it doesn't mean he doesn't listen to songs. He must have heard them, and louder.
Gigi Buffon once found Morata in tears when they played together at Juventus. He advised her not to let anyone see it; Not because he should bottle it up, but because people will take advantage of it, use it, confiscate it. He didn't have to give them that chance, but those who don't know the damage they're doing can also do so. The Italian goalkeeper insisted that Morata could be one of the best in the world "if only he could overcome his mental hang-ups." Behind the scenes he helped, guided Morata.
Luis Enrique has done the same. On Friday, on the eve of Spain's second Euro 2020 game, the coach - who never revealed his team, not even who was going to play in goal - did just that. Tomorrow, he said, Spain's line-up against Poland would be "Morata and 10 others". He also sent Morata to meet with the media at a pre-match press conference: it was a show of strength and solidarity, an attempt to make him stand tall, proud to speak his mind. Telling the media (even if it's not true) that he was not bothered by it. That the ball will go in, and then they will see.
As Laporte put it: "Maybe he'll score three and shut everyone's mouth." Maybe, and maybe doing so will help. It was a manager protecting and projecting his player: ensuring but also helping him, guiding him, strengthening him, telling doubters that he was not one of them, nor was he behind. Was about to leave, whatever you said. He was on Morta's side. He was supporting her in every way.
Fans should do the same. The clue is in the words: pro. It's not a whistler or booze player, yet no one to kill in the song. Because it's a person and because it's a player: Alvaro Morata is the striker from Spain, your striker, someone you want to leave behind.