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Spain will take on Belgium in the second quarter-final of the World Cup on Friday at the Los Angeles Stadium, with the winner set to advance to the semi-finals to face France.

Date: Friday, 10th July

Kick-off: 8 PM BST

Venue: Los Angeles Stadium, Inglewood, California, USA

Spain manager Luis de la Fuente faces a major selection dilemma as winger Nico Williams continues to battle an adductor injury sustained against Uruguay. His fitness remains a major concern ahead of the crucial clash.

Adding to Spain’s troubles on the flanks, Yéremy Pino is almost certain to miss the rest of the tournament after suffering a serious collarbone injury. Victor Muñoz also remains unavailable due to a recurring leg muscle problem. Consequently, Álex Baena is expected to retain his starting place on the left wing, providing much-needed creativity in the attacking third.

In defence, Pedro Porro is poised to keep his spot ahead of Marcos Llorente in the starting lineup. The rest of the backline will depend on Pau Cubarsí and Aymeric Laporte to ensure defensive solidity against Belgium’s dangerous forwards.

Belgium, meanwhile, have suffered a significant setback in midfield. Amadou Onana has been ruled out for the remainder of the World Cup after tearing his ACL during the Round of 16 victory over the USA. Head coach Rudi Garcia is expected to turn to Hans Vanaken to fill the defensive midfield void alongside Youri Tielemans.

In the defensive unit, Zeno Debast remains sidelined with injury, forcing Garcia to rely on Brandon Mechele and Nathan Ngoy at the back. On the brighter side, star midfielder Kevin De Bruyne is set to return to the starting lineup after being rested in the previous match.

Up front, Charles De Ketelaere is likely to operate as a false nine, with Romelu Lukaku expected to start on the bench and feature later as a powerful second-half substitute.

Spain enter the contest in superb form, holding an extraordinary 36-match unbeaten streak under Luis de la Fuente. Their hallmark has been a rock-solid defence, which has yet to concede a goal in this World Cup. After a goalless opener against Cape Verde, La Roja gained momentum with a 4-0 triumph over Saudi Arabia and a 1-0 win against Uruguay. They continued their defensive dominance in the knockouts, beating Austria 3-0 and edging Portugal 1-0.

Belgium, on the other hand, arrive at the quarter-finals on an 18-match unbeaten run, showcasing an explosive attack. Although their defence has looked vulnerable—conceding five goals in their last six outings—their forward line has been prolific, averaging 2.83 goals per game. In the group stage, the Red Devils drew with Egypt (1-1) and Iran (0-0) before demolishing New Zealand 5-1. They then edged Senegal 3-2 and overpowered the USA 4-1 in the knockout rounds.

Predicted line-ups:

Spain: Simon; Porro, Cubarsí, Laporte, Cucurella; Rodri, Pedri; Yamal, Olmo, Baena; Oyarzabal

Belgium: Courtois; Castagne, Ngoy, Mechele, De Cuyper; Vanaken, Tielemans; Lukebakio, De Bruyne, Trossard; De Ketelaere

Fans in the United Kingdom can watch the Spain vs Belgium World Cup quarter-final live and free on BBC One.