With the Eurocup this summer, designed to be held from June 12 to July 12, In the face of postponement due to the coronavirus, the Games change their role in these months. While UEFA has set a meeting for Tuesday in which it will discuss whether its great national team event is going to 2021 or trying to square it this December, the signals sent by the Olympic universe are quite different. The IOC has been insisting, despite the development of events in this universal health crisis, that Tokyo 2020 will take place. That stream was forcefully added on Saturday Shinzo Abe, Japanese Prime Minister: “We are going to beat the contagion and celebrate the Olympics.” And Madrid is following very attentively this dance of competitions and dates.
At the Bernabéu you see Tokyo 2020 (soccer, from July 24 to August 9) as a difficult inconvenience to avoid. It is recognized that many players want to feel Olympic, especially since they do not have opportunities to do so during their careers, but it is also pointed out that It totally contravenes the preparation for the following season. Footballers traveling to Japan would miss the preseason and, with high probability, the start of the course. If there were no Euro Cup, the Games would become even more attractive and Madrid would have to work around three groups of up to 19 players.
In Madrid and in selectable age
Here the madridistas enter born from 1997 onwards and whose selections have been classified for the Games: Militao (1998), Vinicius (2000), Rodrygo (2001), Reinier (2002) and Brahim (1999). They are all in the prelists and in the case of the Brazilians, although they will stick to what the club dictates, they have already communicated to the coach, Andre Jardine, his predisposition to be among the final selected. Vinicius was called in the last call, a message from the CBF about his presence in Tokyo, since Madrid is not obliged to yield to its players. This does not happen, however, in Spain, where the teams have to release the nationals if requested by the RFEF.
Loaned with real call options
On loan in different destinations, for their years of birth and having obtained their countries the ticket for the Games, they could be summoned Jesús Vallejo (Granada; 1997), Borja Mayoral (Levante; 1997) and Take Kubo (Mallorca, 2001). The two Spaniards are in the prelist of Luis de la Fuente and they have many options to go, while the Japanese is also in Japan and the tournament is very exciting. Ceballos (Arsenal; 1996) 'is passed' by age, but aims to get into the three 'older' that can be included in the citations.
Born before 1997 with the possibility of being called
In addition to footballers born in 1997 or later, each selection can include up to three players in their ranks based on sporting criteria, regardless of their ages. At least eight men from Zidane fit this scenario: Sergio Ramos (33 years old; he wants but, as AS said, he has it almost impossible), Nacho (30), Carvajal (28), Lucas Vázquez (28), Isco (27) Asensio (24), Marcelo (31) and Casemiro (28). All are in the respective pre-calls, from De la Fuente and Jardine, although none of the Spaniards among the chosen is expected.
To these names we must add those of Toni Kroos (30) or Varane (26). This summer Germany and France will play a tournament unknown to both of them and, following the example of Ramos and without the Euro Cup involved, perhaps their interest in the Games will grow …