There are plenty of sides who might have been shaken here by the shock of going behind to the lowest ranked country in the tournament and the threat of a monumental upset but Spain are no ordinary team, or at least they are not playing like one. A brief scare against Georgia would ultimately prove no more than that. This was a victory that showcased so many of Spain’s attributes: fast, dynamic attacking football, of course, but also calm, patience and character.
The midfielder is as close to a footballing certainty as you can get, and ensured Luis de la Fuente’s side broke Georgia’s hearts in the last 16
The 26-year-old Brazilian had spent five seasons at Villa Park.