Spain seeks elusive win against Portugal

Spain’s last victory against Portugal came in a penalty shootout in the semifinals of the 2012 European Championship

Coach Luis Enrique tried to stay optimistic about Spain's chances of advancing in the Nations League following a disappointing home loss to Switzerland.

After all, La Roja can still secure a spot in the Final Four with a win in Portugal on Tuesday.

“It's a final and we will go there to try to win it,” Luis Enrique said after the 2-1 loss to Switzerland at the weekend, which dropped Spain from first to second in Group A2 ahead of the decisive match in Braga.

But beating Portugal isn't something Spain has been able to do recently. The Iberian neighbors have drawn their last four matches, and Spain has not won at Portugal in nearly two decades.

Its last victory against Portugal came in a penalty shootout in the semifinals of the 2012 European Championship, and before that, it won in the round of 16 of the 2010 World Cup in a match where Portugal complained of offside on David Villa's winning goal in the second half.

Playing in Portugal, Spain is winless since a 3-0 victory in a friendly in 2003, when Fernando Torres made his national team debut with Spain, and not long after Cristiano Ronaldo began playing for Portugal.

The teams have drawn four straight since coach Fernando Santos took over Portugal after the 2014 World Cup.