Spain must not lose their edge as they aim to overcome the Netherlands in the Nations League, so says Luis de la Fuente.

La Roja extended their unbeaten run to 22 competitive games as Mikel Merino rescued a 2-2 draw in the first leg of their Nations League quarter-final against the Netherlands on Thursday.

The Euro 2024 champions will now look to complete the job on home soil on Sunday, and keep their longest unbeaten run in competitive fixtures since a streak of 29 between June 2010 and June 2013 alive.

However, De la Fuente stressed that after seeing a five-game winning streak snapped, his team must not lose their clinical edge.

"The problem with winning is that you get used to it and it's hard [if you] lose your edge," he said.

"We want to continue in this dynamic, knowing that every day the challenges are more difficult. The rivals know you more and more every day and they are very good.

"[This fixture] could very well be the final of the European Championship. This is very difficult and more difficult every day.

"We want to continue to be in a position to win and we are. We will go all out to keep winning."

De la Fuente, though, thinks Spain will only improve for having had to battle.

"This is a group of exceptional football players, but we also give special importance to values," he said. "I always say that you have to have good people to be able to manage a dressing room.

"Suffering and the ability to overcome it is something this team has. I don't know this sport without suffering."

While the winner of Sunday's encounter will progress to the semi-finals, they will also go into a more difficult World Cup qualifying group, which will include Turkiye, Georgia and Bulgaria.

However, the loser of this tie will go into World Cup qualifying Group G and face Finland, Malta, Poland and Lithuania.

Though that would theoretically present an easier path to next year's tournament, Netherlands boss Ronald Koeman insisted his team are focused on Nations League glory.

"It's true that the group with five teams is perhaps a bit more favourable," Koeman said.

"It's not something we've discussed with the players, or something we're going to take into account during the match.

"We absolutely want to reach the semi-finals of the Nations League. It's a trophy. That's what we're going for."