Luis de la Fuente changed the step in Spain’s final list heading to the Euro Cup. From a preselection of 29 players with practically no surprises to striking discards, all for different reasons. “I had the idea established for a long time, but you are always open to things that may arise that make you change your mind,” the coach revealed. And no one changed his mind. Not even Pau Cubarsí. On the eve of the trip to Germany, before Spain’s last trip to Mallorca to play a friendly against Northern Ireland this Saturday (9:30 p.m., La1), the coach left the Barça center back in Madrid, as well as Marcos Llorente and Aleix Garcia.
Although the premature goodbye of the Girona midfielder was expected in the Las Rozas Football City, Vivian prevails over the young Barça centre-back in the same way that Fermín López does against the versatile Atlético de Madrid footballer. However, Ayoze Pérez (30 years old) does not miss the Euro Cup. The Betis striker only needed 90 minutes (one goal and one assist) against Andorra last Wednesday to earn his place in La Roja’s expedition to Germany. “Despite having spent nine years in the Premier League, I feel that it is the best moment of my career,” highlighted the Betis forward.
After the morning training in Las Rozas, De la Fuente spoke with the three discarded: “I am very sorry,” he justified them. There weren’t many more details, nor explanations. Aleix García did not need them, but Cubarsí’s situation was different, and of course also that of Marcos Llorente.
Cubarsí (17 years old) seemed destined to become one of the darlings of Las Rozas. The Barcelona center back was expected to jump from the Euro Cup to the Olympic Games. However, at Barça they do not forget the Pedri case in 2021: it melted down after playing 73 games, including those it played in the Euro Cup and the Tokyo Games. Concerned about the physical and mental state of Cubarsí, identified as one of the great promises of the Barça entity, Deco intervened so that the RFEF could choose which competition the center-back was going to compete in: “European Championship or Games; “Not both.”
De la Fuente, however, was not convinced. Cubarsí, who had gone through all the youth categories of La Roja, made his senior debut last March in the friendlies against Colombia (seven minutes) and Brazil (nine). It was precisely during that FIFA break that Cubarsí conquered De la Fuente’s work group. His football was not surprising (he had replaced Iñigo Martínez at Barça), but his personality was. Above all, his unusual maturity. On the day off that the coach had assigned, Cubarsí chose to stay in Las Rozas. “I have homework. I stay studying,” he explained. But it was not enough for Cubarsi. “The priority is the senior team. The rest, the Games, is up to Santi Denia,” said the coach. And he looked at Vivian: “He is a very good soccer player who surely many people know him, but he does not have the media power of others.”
In the center of the field, however, the experience of Marcos Llorente (29 years old) is inferior to the electric Fermín López (21). The versatile Atlético footballer, who has more than 300 games in the elite and 19 in the national team, is dropped from the final list. “They are different footballers,” De la Fuente compared; “Marcos can occupy different positions, in all the positions he plays he does well and Fermín is more specific, as an interior or midfielder. Our idea is to use it inside. He has technical and tactical attitudes and others of character. Seeing how he has worked with veteran and world-class teammates… It infects energy. “It reminds us of Gavi,” he concluded.
In addition to Gavi, injured, there are eight other players missing from the 23-player squad that won the Nations League last summer (Kepa, Jordi Alba, Bernat, Canales, Rodrigo Moreno, Asensio, Ansu Fati and Yeremy Pino). “My sense is that I have been unfair to those we discarded. But just with those who are there,” De la Fuente closed. And Cubarsi was left out.
This is the definitive list:
Goalkeepers: Simón, Raya and Remiro. Defenses: Carvajal, Navas, Laporte, Le Normand, Nacho, Vivian, Grimaldo and Cucurella. Midfielders: Rodri, Zubimendi, Fabián, Merino, Baena, Fermín and Pedri. Fronts: Morata, Oyarzábal, Olmo, Ferran, Joselu, Lamine Yamal, Ayoze and Nico
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