Morocco vs Spain LIVE: World Cup 2022 team news and line-ups as Marcos Llorente starts but no Alvaro Morata

Morocco play Spain in the last 16 of the Qatar World Cup today, with the winners set to face Portugal or Switzerland in the quarter-finals.

Spain finished second in their group despite thrashing Costa Rica and drawing with Germany, due to a shock loss to Japan on their last matchday of the first round.

Meanwhile, Morocco stunned Belgium and beat Canada after an opening draw with Croatia, topping their group to set up this tie with 2010 champions Spain.

Later today, Portugal take on Switzerland in the final last-16 game of Qatar 2022, with the victors from that match-up playing the winners of this game in the next round.

Follow all the action with our live blog below:

Morocco vs Spain

Morocco face Spain in the last 16 of World Cup 2022

Winner will face Portugal or Switzerland in quarter-finals

11’ – CLOSE! Hakimi curls free-kick narrowly over the bar (MAR 0-0 ESP)

Morocco team news: Ziyech starts, as does Hakimi after minor ankle injury

Spain team news: No Morata in starting XI but Llorente comes into defence

Morocco 0-0 Spain

15:16 , Michael Jones

16 mins: Morcocco’s main threats have come from quick play and pacey runs down the wings. Boufal brings the ball forward before slipping it up to Mazraoui who makes an underlapping run.

The left-back takes the ball to the byline and hangs a cross over to the back post. Youssef En-Nesyri is hovering but Unai Simon plucks the ball off his nose to cut out the attack.

Morocco 0-0 Spain

15:13 , Michael Jones

13 mins: That’s a needless risk frmo Bono! The Moroccan goalkeeper is given the ball and gets pressed by Ferran Torres. Bono shifts the ball inside of the forward and passes it to Romain Saiss who flicks it out to Noussair Mazraoui to beat the Spanish press.

That could easily have gone wrong but it was well worked in the end by Morocco.

Morocco 0-0 Spain

15:11 , Michael Jones

11 mins: Free kick to Morocco! Theytake the ball away from Sergio Busquets in the middle of the pitch before Boufal storms forward and takes over.

Story continues

He brings the ball up the pitch before getting pulled down by a back tracking Gavi. This set piece is in a dangerous area for Spain. Can Morocco make use of it?

No. Achraf Hakimi takes it and curls an effort over the crossbar!

Morocco 0-0 Spain

15:08 , Michael Jones

8 mins: Nice play from Morocco. Hakim Ziyech is slipped into space on the right wing but doesn’t have men in the box to cross the ball to and loses possession.

The African side get the ball back and attack down the left this time. Sofiane Boufal weaves around a defender and carries the ball up alongside the box before getting tackled. He goes down hoping for a free kick but doesn’t get one.

Still, it’s encouraging for Morocco who are getting themselves into good areas out wide.

Morocco 0-0 Spain

15:05 , Michael Jones

5 mins: Almost! Spain take control of the ball once more and pass it slickly around the pitch. It comes to Pedri on the left side of the midfield and he dinks a pacey pass up to the edge of the penalty area to match Gavi’s run.

Gavi gets a touch to the ball but can’t bring it down and it bounces safely through to Yassine Bounou (Bono) in Morocco’s goal.

Morocco 0-0 Spain

15:03 , Michael Jones

3 mins: Noussair Mazraoui nicks the ball off Ferran Torres and passes it inside to Sofyan Amrabat.

Morocco work the ball quickly over to Achraf Hakimi but Dani Olmo is quick to press and forces Hakimi to knock the ball out of play as he attempts to send a pass down the line.

Kick off: Morocco 0-0 Spain

15:01 , Michael Jones

Spain get the ball rolling in this last-16 tie. The knock the ball around the back before sending a diagonal pass over to the left wing. Jordi Alba is given the ball but he’s clattered by Hakim Ziyech who gives away the first free kick of the match.

Morocco vs Spain

14:57 , Michael Jones

The teams head out onto the pitch and the national anthems are sung. Noise level goes up several decibels when the Moroccan anthem is belted out. The African side have a lot of supporters watching the game today.

Can they help their team pick up an historic win?

‘The biggest game in our history’

14:53 , Michael Jones

Morocco coach Walid Regragui has labelled this match ‘the biggest game in Morocco’s history’ when speaking about what it means to reach the knockout rounds of the World Cup. He said: “It is the biggest game of our history but I hope the biggest will be the next one.

“Our elders cannot replay their game against West Germany while the Spain game is ahead of us. I don’t think we should go out with any sort of complex.

“Yes, we’re the underdog, but we know what Spain are made of and the recipe is easy. We shouldn’t be worried, we should have no regrets and give the best of ourselves.

“We’ve also got things up our sleeve. We’ve had one extra rest day compared to them and we’re going to try and pull a surprise out of the bag.”

Morocco vs Spain

14:49 , Michael Jones

The Moroccan side seem to have a togetherness and a determination not to get kicked out of the tournament this afternoon. They’re coming up against a very good Spanish team so things will be tricky for them.

Yet, they’ve got plenty of support inside the stadium and a good set of players who will give it their all. Can Morocco actually beat Spain?

(Getty Images)

(Getty Images)

Morocco vs Spain

14:46 , Michael Jones

Will Morata score again?

14:43 , Michael Jones

Alvaro Morata has scored in each of his last three World Cup appearances for Spain, despite playing a total of just 126 minutes across those games.

The only Spain player to score in four World Cup games in a row is David Villa in 2010.

If he is to equal that record today he’ll have to do so as a substitute as Luis Enrique has decided to start the forward on the bench.

Morocco vs Spain

14:39 , Michael Jones

Morocco are the last African team left in the World Cup.

Extra flights were put on from Morocco to Qatar after they reached the last 16 and last night more than 1,000 Moroccans gathered at the ticket office hoping to watch today’s match.

According to reports there were some altercations and riot police got involved.

The Moroccan embassy says it has given 500 tickets to Moroccans living in Qatar and Fifa has made 5,000 extra tickets available for Morocco fans.

Morocco vs Spain

14:35 , Michael Jones

Morocco are unbeaten in their last four matches at the World Cup (with two wins and two draws.

The only African team to go five consecutive World Cup games without defeat are Cameroon (two wins, three draws between 1982 and 1990).

Morocco vs Spain

14:31 , Michael Jones

The fans are raring to go for this one. Kick off is 30 minutes away and the atmosphere is building nicely at the Education City stadium.

(REUTERS)

(REUTERS)

(PA)

Morocco vs Spain

14:27 , Michael Jones

Morocco are featuring in the knockout stages of the World Cup for only the second time, also reaching the round of 16 in 1986, where they lost 1-0 to Germany.

Can they make it to the quarter-finals this time around?

World Cup today: Spain aim to reach last eight and Fernando Santos unhappy with Cristiano Ronaldo

14:23 , Michael Jones

The World Cup 2022’s quarter-final line-up will be completed on Tuesday, with the remaining fixture slot to be filled by the winners from Portugal v Switzerland and Morocco v Spain.

Those contests come after Brazil powered into the last eight with a 4-1 thumping of South Korea, setting up a clash with Croatia, who defeated Japan 3-1 on penalties after a 1-1 draw.

Here, the PA news agency looks ahead to the final day of round-of-16 action in Qatar, and back at how Monday unfolded.

World Cup today: Fernando Santos unhappy with Cristiano Ronaldo

Hakimi on facing Spain

14:19 , Michael Jones

“Four years of experience since have meant I’ve come with a more mature mentality,” said Hakimi in the build-up to today’s match.

“Spain are a top-five team and always come to the World Cup to win but our coach has also taught us to have a winning mentality. It doesn’t matter who we are up against. We are going to play our way and try to beat them.

“We finished first in the group and I think we deserve a little respect. I think that Spain know that and that they have to be a little afraid of us. Why can’t we pull off a surprise again?”

Hakimi hoping to cause an upset

14:15 , Michael Jones

Moroccan defender Achraf Hakimi is hoping his team can cause an upset this afternoon and knock Spain out of the World Cup.

Hakimi, who was born in Madrid and was selected for Spain’s junior teams, said: “It is something unique playing for your country and especially now that we are making history.

“It’s incredible to see how people are living it with us, and that energy transmits a lot to us and gives us strength to continue and look to do great things.”

Morocco vs Spain latest odds

14:11 , Michael Jones

Of the teams left in the competition Morocco have the least likely chance of winning the World Cup according to the latest betting odds from Betfair.

The African side are also the underdogs to win today’s game in 90 minutes and to qualify ahead of Spain for the quarter-finals.

Here are the odds:

Morocco vs Spain winner

Morocco – 5/1

Draw – 3-1

Spain – 6/10

To qualify

Morocco – 3/1

Spain – 2/9

To win the 2022 World Cup

Brazil – 15/8

France – 9/2

Argentina – 11/2

England – 7/1

Spain – 8/1

Portugal – 14/1

Netherlands – 14/1

Croatia – 30/1

Switzerland – 90/1

Morocco – 125/1

Morocco vs Spain

14:06 , Michael Jones

Spain have never lost in three previous meetings with Morocco (two wins, one draw), with their two wins both coming in qualifying play-off legs for the 1962 World Cup in November 1961.

They won 1-0 away and 3-2 at home.

Morocco warn Spain they will ‘come out swinging’ in World Cup last-16 clash

14:01 , Michael Jones

Morocco have warned Spain they will “come out swinging” in a bid to pull off another huge World Cup upset.

The north African side created one of the biggest shocks in the group phase of the tournament in Qatar with their 2-0 victory over Belgium, having already held 2018 finalists Croatia to a goalless draw.

Walid Regragui’s team finished top of their group and now face a Spain side in the last 16 still reeling from their own unexpected setback at the hands of Japan which almost cost them their place in the tournament.

Morocco are likely to enjoy the majority of the support at the Education City Stadium in Al Rayyan and Regragui believes the Atlas Lions are now playing for the whole of the African continent and the Arab world.

Morocco warn Spain they will ‘come out swinging’ in World Cup last-16 clash

Will 1000 penalties be enough to get Spain through a shootout?

13:56 , Michael Jones

Spain coach Luis Enrique gave his players a task of practising 1,000 penalties before they met up for the World Cup and the coach hopes that ‘homework’ will pay off against Morocco this afternoon.

Spain were eliminated on penalties by Italy in the semi-finals of last year’s Euros.

“I imagine that they have done their homework,” said Enrique. “Over a year ago, in one of the Spain camps, I told them they had to get here with at least 1,000 penalties taken, if you wait until getting here to practise penalties… [it won’t be enough].

“It’s a moment of maximum tension, a time to show your nerve and that you can shoot the penalty in the way you have decided, if you have trained it a thousand times.

“It says a lot about each player. It’s trainable, manageable, how you manage the tension. It’s increasingly less luck – the goalkeepers have more influence.

“We have a very good goalkeeper, any of the three can do very well in this situation. Every time we finish training, I see a lot of players taking penalties.”

Morocco seek to ‘give the dream’ to all of Africa that future World Cup success remains in sight

13:53 , Michael Jones

And then there was one. Morocco are the last African side standing but at the first Arab World Cup, they are more than that. They are carrying a continent’s hopes, but they are representing the Middle East as well as Africa. They are the underdogs against Spain, but they believe they will have the support of two vast regions.

“Before it was just the Moroccans who supported us,” said their bullish head coach Walid Regragui. “Now it is the Africans and Arabs. We will come in with a winner’s attitude. We will come in swinging. We want to hoist our Moroccan flag well up high. The great nations are still here and it is up to us to give them a run for their money.”

Certainly there is no inferiority complex from Regragui. He accepts that Spain are widely expected to win. He respects their past. But he believes the future could lie in Morocco, if not elsewhere in Africa.

Morocco seek to ‘give dream’ to all Africa of future World Cup success

Morocco vs Spain prediction

13:48 , Michael Jones

Morocco have the defensive resolution to frustrate Spain but ultimately there are more attacking reinforcements on the Europeans’ bench than on the Africans’.

Spain to progress after extra time, 2-1.

Morocco vs Spain team changes

13:44 , Michael Jones

There is just one change to the Moroccan team that defeated Canada 2-1 in their last game of the groups stages. Selim Amallah comes into the midfield to replace Abdelhamid Sabiri.

Luis Enrique meanwhile makes five changes to the Spanish side. There are three new defenders in Aymeric Laporte, Marcos Llorente and Jordi Alba whilst Ferran Torres and Marco Asensio join Dani Olmo up top.

Morocco vs Spain line-ups

13:40 , Michael Jones

Morocco XI: Bounou; Mazraoui, Aguerd, Saiss, Hakimi; Amrabat, Amallah, Ounahi; Boufal, En-Nesyri, Ziyech

Spain XI: Simon, Llorente, Rodri, Laporte, Alba, Busquets, Gavi, Pedri, Ferran, Asensio, Olmo

Where to watch Morocco vs Spain

13:38 , Michael Jones

The match starts at 3pm GMT on Tuesday 6 December and this fixture will be broadcast live on ITV 1 and STV and can be streamed via the ITV Hub and STV Player.

The Independent will be covering this game and all others at the World Cup via our live blogs.

Magnificent Morocco overcome the odds to rewrite their own World Cup history – and add to Africa’s

13:34 , Michael Jones

In a World Cup which has already seen several nations breaking their own records and setting new highs, Morocco joined in on Thursday to hit new heights in national team history.

Their final group stage game saw them triumph 2-1 over Canada to not just seal progression into the knockout stages in Qatar, but also finish top of the Group F quartet.

Nigeria, and the World Cup of France ‘98, was the last time an African nation managed to achieve that feat. A generation has passed since then, of players and of supporters and of heroes of the continent – and between that finals and these ones, Morocco had won precisely zero games at the World Cup.

Magnificent Morocco overcome odds to rewrite their own World Cup history and Africa’s

Morocco vs Spain early team news and predicted line-ups

13:30 , Michael Jones

Both teams are likely to have a fully fit squad to choose from for this match.

Morocco’s line-up is pretty much set in stone unless head coach Walid Regragui springs a tactical surprise, perhaps adding another more defensive-minded player in midfield.

Luis Enrique needs to decide who flanks Alvaro Morata in attack, as well as whether to change his central defensive pairing after defeat to Japan last time out.

Predicted line-ups

MAR – Bounou, Hakimi, Saiss, Aguerd, Mazraoui, Amrabat, Ounahi, Sabiri, Ziyech, Boufal, En-Nesyri

ESP – Simon, Carvajal, Rodri, Torres, Alba, Busquets, Gavi, Pedri, Ferran, Morata, Olmo

Morocco vs Spain

13:26 , Michael Jones

Hello and welcome to The Independent’s coverage of the final day of last-16 action from the Qatar World Cup. There are two matches taking place this afternoon and evening with the only African side left in the competition hoping to reach the quarter-finals.

First up Morocco take on Spain in what will be a tough encounter for Walid Regragui’s men. A brilliant group stage saw them finish top of Group F with wins over Belgium and Canada conceding just one goal across their three matches. Yet their opponents today are a different class.

Spain have youth and pace on their side and are not afraid to take the attack to the opposition. A final group game loss to Japan will have hardened their resolve and they’ll look to capitalise on early chances to take the match away from Morocco.

Then in the evening Cristiano Ronaldo is in action once again as Portugal face Switzerland. This should be more of an even affair but Portugal should have enough quality to get past the impressive Swiss.

Stick around as we bring you all the action from today’s games.