Del Bosque: Spain won't throw strikers at Slovakia

Spain coach Vicente del Bosque believes patience - not an abundance of attackers - is the key to defeating Slovakia on Saturday.

La Roja lost the reverse Euro 2016 Group C qualification match 2-1 last year, when Del Bosque picked Diego Costa as the lone striker.

In other qualifiers since he has selected two up front from the likes of the Brazil-born centre forward, Valencia's Paco Alcacer and new Chelsea signing Pedro, but he is refusing to reveal how his team will line up in Oviedo.

"It's true, we are expecting a team who will play with six men always behind the ball, which will make it tough for us to find space," Del Bosque told reporters.

"This is what we have to be prepared for. I think it will be better for us. I hope it is this way and we dominate the game, that we control possession, that we have sufficient patience, and the ability to overcome them.

"We are preparing for this, and I hope we can resolve this problem.

"On the question of the centre forward, I don't think it is an issue whether we play with one or two, it isn't important. For example, we played against Luxembourg with two and we did well, Alcacer and Diego Costa played well.

"If we play with one tomorrow we have a possibility, and with the people up front, to cause them problems."

Barcelona and Spain skipper Iniesta is wary of the Central European nation causing another shock or preventing them from playing their natural game.

"We are expecting a similar game to the one we had there - a team who keep it tight," he said.

"A team who always try to cut out the inside balls, and that accumulates people in the centre of the pitch to disrupt our style of play."

Spain (15 points) sit second in Group C's standings behind Slovakia (18) and ahead of Ukraine (12), who host Belarus.