- Title: SPAINl: FOOTBALL/SOCCER: Spanish fans bullish on World Cup draw
- Date: 6th December 2013
- Summary: MADRID, SPAIN (DECEMBER 6, 2013) (REUTERS) PEOPLE IN BAR REACTING TO THE DRAW PEOPLE WATCHING DRAW SPAIN SUPPORTER CARLOS REULA WATCHING DRAW REFLECTION OF DRAW ON A WINDOW / PEOPLE WATCHING DRAW (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) SPAIN SUPPORTER CARLOS REULA, SAYING: "Until now I think it is the most difficult group. Above all because of Chile that I think its going to be very diffic
- Embargoed: 21st December 2013 12:00
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- Location: Spain
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- Country: Spain
- Topics: Sports
- Reuters ID: LVA4SRVR1SYCTQD5C8OXX3XCT3HJ
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- Story Text: Spanish fans are confident the defending world champions will qualify from World Cup group B, in which they face Netherlands, Chile and Australia .
Friday's (December 6) complicated draw procedure went off smoothly as holders Spain and 2010 runners-up Netherlands were put together in the group stages of next year's World Cup finals.
People in Madrid packed a popular sports bar to watch the draw on big screens. Spain have a tough task with Chile and Australia alongside them and the Netherlands in Group B.
Among those fans in the bar was Carlos Reula who said Spain was drawn in one of the most difficult groups.
"Until now I think it is the most difficult group. Above all because of Chile that I think its going to be very difficult in the group stage. The Netherlands I think its going down but it is going to be a difficult team. We have to be positive and rely on La Roja, Spain, because they have brought lot of joy and I think they will keep doing so," he said.
Jose Iglesias said Spain should fear nobody else in the group.
"They should be afraid because the World champions should have no problem. We are the World champions and two times European champions so they should be afraid. Well Netherlands is difficult but you have to face everybody, we have no rival," he said.
Another fan, Rafa Vicents, recalled the 2012 European Championship in which Netherlands failed to qualify from the group stage with no points from their three matches.
"The Netherlands had zero or one point in the last European Cup, so they are in bad form. I think Netherlands is not going to qualify. I think Spain and Chile (are going to qualify)," he said.
After the 2010 World Cup final, a bad tempered affair which Spain won 1-0 in extra time, the Dutch seemed to be the team fans wanted to face.
Host nation Brazil will kick off the tournament soccer World Cup against Croatia in Sao Paulo on June 12.
The final is in Rio de Janeiro on July 13. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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