Ansu Fati returns and Carvajal and RDT await their opportunity

Spain has next week the two most important games of the season. Against Greece, next Thursday in Athens, and against Sweden, on Sunday 14 in Seville, The National Team is going to play the direct ticket for the 2022 World Cup, an appointment that has not been missing for almost 50 years.

La Roja need victory in both matches to qualify for the World Cup without waiting for a puncture from the Swedes, who are the leaders of the qualifying group with 15 points, two more than Spain. If they were not first in the group, Spain would have to play the play-off in March, a devilish play-off with only three places for twelve countries. An ordeal that he can avoid if he wins next Thursday in Athens and the following Sunday at the La Cartuja stadium, with the unconditional support of the Seville fans.

With this panorama, Luis Enrique offers this Friday the list of summoned. The loss of Ferran Torres due to injury is the worst news. They are also low for the same reason Gerard Moreno and perhaps Oyarzabal, who is still in the recovery phase. Dani Olmo, Morata and Ansu Fati have already reappeared, while Raúl De Tomás appears on the scene (RDT), who right now, with six goals, is the selectable top scorer tied on goals with Oyarzabal.

Real Madrid deserves a separate chapter on the list. The last merengue player to be called up by Luis Enrique was Sergio Ramos, when he was still a white player. That was a long time ago. But the streak can be broken this Friday if the Asturian recovers Carvajal, who has reappeared after an ordeal of injuries that lowered his average from three thousand minutes to just one thousand in the last season. But what is coming is not easy and Luis Enrique needs experienced and seasoned players in finals, as is the case with the Real Madrid side.

The Selection has fifteen participations and six absences in the 21 World Cups that have been played to date. Spain was absent exclusively in 1930 (Uruguay), 1938 (France), 1954 (Switzerland), 1958 (Sweden), 1970 (Mexico) and 1974 (Germany). Since then he has accumulated eleven consecutive World Cups.