Alex Baena goes into Spain vs Austria after turning a pre-tournament wildcard into a real left-sided option for Spain. He scored the winner against Uruguay, finished with a 76% pass success rate while being asked to take risks in the final third, and has 1 goal in 2 World Cup appearances. The question now is whether Luis de la Fuente keeps that shape while managing the Nico Williams injury doubts and Austria's late-game threat.
Baena's role on Spain's left
Baena has not been a volume merchant. He has been more decisive than busy, which fits the way Spain have used him. His 127 minutes across those 2 appearances show he has been trusted to start and finish games, not just fill space.
The 76% pass success rate matters because it came with the sort of risk Spain actually want on that side. He has been asked to carry the ball, connect in tight areas and still produce end product. The winner against Uruguay is the clearest example of that balance.
Marc Cucurella summed up the division of labour from the other flank when he said: "I'll do all the dirty work he doesn't want to do". That is the idea Spain seem happy to lean on, with Baena taking the sharper touches on the left and others covering the harder running around him.
Austria's late threat and injury doubts
Austria have not arrived quietly. They came through a 3-3 draw with Algeria thanks to Sasa Kalajdzic's 96th-minute equaliser, which is the sort of late drama that can keep a knockout tie alive even when the flow of the game has gone against them.
Ralf Rangnick played down the severity of concerns around Marko Arnautović and David Alaba after full time, saying there are no major fears over either man's availability for the last-32 encounter. That leaves Austria with the same profile they have carried through the tournament: dangerous late, but not necessarily clean or comfortable.
Spain's edge is still control. They have not conceded a goal at the World Cup and have kept three successive clean sheets. That gives Unai Simón, Rodri and Pedri a platform to keep the game on Spain's terms, while Baena gives them a left-sided outlet that was not obvious before the tournament began.
Austria can point to their own scoring burst, nine goals across their last 3 World Cup matches, but the stronger side here is still the one controlling territory and reducing noise. Spain have built that base already, and Baena has become one of the reasons their left side looks less improvised than it did a few weeks ago.
Written by Daniel Hartley with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 3 outlets. How we work →