Latvia has already secured a place in the European Championship final tournament, as it is one of its hosts, and is also one of only three countries that has managed to win all four qualifying tournament games so far. Spain too has already qualified for the finals.
One of the coaches of the home team, Artūrs Visockis-Rubenis, told Latvian Television that the team gained confidence in its ability to play against any opponent at the 2023 World Cup, which it also proved in its victory over the strong Spanish team.
The Latvian national team also beat the Spanish away in the 2025 European Championship qualifying group , but has never managed to beat Spain at home.
Spain has brought a young squad to Rīga, and there is added intrigue because the head coaches of both teams are Italians – the Spanish team is led by Sergio Scariolo, while the Latvian national team is led by Luca Banchi.
Scariolo is an interesting personality with extensive basketball experience, and it’s interesting to talk to him, Visockis-Rubenis said. He added that during the match, the coaches of both teams are opponents, but off the court, they are friends.
Meanwhile, one of the leaders of the Latvian national team, Dāvis Bertāns, emphasized in an interview with Latvian Television that the national team has not lost a single game in the qualifying tournament and will try to maintain its winning streak. “We must continue with such a positive situation until the summer,” said the experienced player.
The Latvia-Spain match will start at 19:30. The Latvian national team will conclude the qualifying tournament on Sunday in Bratislava against Slovakia.
The European Championship final tournament will be held in Latvia, Cyprus, Finland and Poland in late summer. Latvia will host one of the four group tournaments, as well as the knockout matches with 16 teams taking part.
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