For the great underachievers of international football, it is the opportunity of a lifetime. Forty-four years after they won the European Championship, 24 years after their only subsequent appearance in the final of a leading tournament, Spain sense that this could be their time again. So, it was unfortunate that their preparations for this evening's semi-final against Russia were interrupted by an untimely announcement about their coach.

Luis Aragonés had said that he would leave the post when his contract expires at the end of the tournament, but yesterday hardly seemed the ideal time for Fenerbahçe, the Turkish club, to announce that he was joining them on a two-year contract. Aragonés, 69, was said to be unconcerned as he prepared to face the media last night, but the issue was sensitive enough for the Spanish football federation to ban questions about the coach at an earlier press conference involving three of his players. When one reporter tentatively raised the subject, a press officer tersely interjected.

Spain's players were happier to talk about the opportunity that lies in front of them. “In Spain we have always had great players and we have had the chances in the past, but we have never made it,” Sergio Ramos, the full back, said. “We have an opportunity within our grasp and we must stand together and make the most of it. The pressure is there, but we cannot let it affect us - at least not in a negative way.”

There is the additional burden of expectation after Spain beat this evening's opponents 4-1 in their opening match of the tournament, but Russia have emerged as a team of great quality, particularly since the return from suspension of Andrei Arshavin, the Zenit St Petersburg playmaker, who is reportedly bound for Barcelona. “Arshavin is one of the best players around, no question,” Ramos said. “If we let him play, he could do some real damage to us. Again we must stand together and make sure we defend in a way that stops him making an impact.”

In addition to Arshavin, Russia can count on the attacking threat of Roman Pavlyuchenko, the Spartak Moscow forward, who has scored three goals in the tournament, but no matter how much talent he has in his starting line-up, Guus Hiddink, the coach, believes that his squad lacks depth. “Look at our bench and the bench of Spain,” he said. “Then you will see the difference.”