MADRID, 21 Oct. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The World Cup in Qatar is just around the corner. Little less than a month until it opens with the duel between the hosts and Ecuador on November 20, and a little more to see the debut of the Spanish team, on the 23rd, against Costa Rica.
Luis Enrique Martínez, national coach, will announce his chosen ones for the appointment on November 11, a date for which there are still four games to be played in LaLiga Santander and another two in European competition.
Many important games for many players who want to gain a foothold in a list that has, in theory, a good percentage of fixed players, and it is unknown if it will be 24, 25 or 26 players. The Spaniard took 24 to the European Championship and has already warned that if he took 26, perhaps it would be to take more forwards.
Looking at the lists and the last call last September for the closing of the League of Nations group stage, it seems almost certain that there will be no changes in the goal, with Unai Simón, Robert Sánchez and David Raya, as chosen, while in defense Pau Torres, Eric García, Diego Llorente, César Azpilicueta, Dani Carvajal and Jordi Alba have a foot and a half, along with Aymeric Laporte who has already played again and it would be a surprise if he did not enter.
Something similar happens in the middle with Sergio Busquets, Rodri Hernández, Pedri, Gavi, Koke, Marcos Llorente and Carlos Soler, although the two colchoneros are currently injured and the PSG player has hardly played since his arrival in Paris. Upstairs is where it seems that there will be more fight because Álvaro Morata is the ‘9’ practically fixed, and Pablo Sarabia, Ferran Torres, Yeremi Pino and Dani Olmo, who is about to return from his injury, are the most common tricks for the sides.
All of them add up to 22 footballers, which, unless there is a surprise, would leave room for, at most, four more. In this sense, Luis Enrique must decide who would accompany Jordi Alba and Álvaro Morata on the left side and up front, respectively, and the other two theoretical positions would have many candidates. We go over some of what we consider to be applicants for these positions by line.
1. Defender/Left Back. In the fight for the left side there are two names that stand out above all and that are the other two most common on the lists: José Luis Gayà and Marcos Alonso. The Valencian player was chosen in the last list and seems to start with an advantage ahead of the Blaugrana, who competes at Barça with Alejandro Balde and Jordi Alba, and who is also being used by Xavi Hernández as a central defender.
The two right-backs seem much clearer and the central ones practically as well, although there is a player like Hugo Guillamón who aspires to be among the chosen ones. The Valencia player, who is also endorsed by a versatility that always pleases the coach, has already been there several times, but playing as a midfielder can ‘penalize’ him.
2. Midfielders. An area where there has always been a lot of competition and where there are players who have already been there and who are now playing at a high level, as is the case with Mikel Merino at Real Sociedad. The Navarrese was already a regular on other lists, but now he has lost a place that he longs to recover. Thiago Alcántara, another one who is in orbit, is having continuity and could be another alternative, while some surprises could be Javi Zubimendi, although Busquets and Rodri block his way, and Oihan Sancet, whom Ernesto Valverde has delayed in the middle in the athletic.
3. Front. Many names sound there and the final competition seems fierce. Luis Enrique is clear about what he is looking for and for the position of ‘pure’ center forward he had Borja Iglesias on the last list, who is still in a good scoring moment. With Gerard Moreno injured, the Betis footballer has two very clear rivals there, an Iago Aspas who seems to have it difficult despite his good form and a Joselu Mato who is proving his goalscoring skills again and will try to keep them to fight for the Market Stall.
For the extremes, the competition is even fiercer. There is a player on whom many eyes are surely focused. The young Ansu Fati is in a race against time to enter a list from which he fell in September because the coach did not see him at a good level and without relevant participation. The Spanish-Guinean striker is still looking for his best level after his stormy knee injury and his minutes in the Clásico and his goal against Villarreal can encourage both him and Xavi Hernández to have those minutes he needs in this final stretch .
However, the young footballer, who will turn 20 on October 31, has fierce competition with players who are ahead of him in terms of regularity, such as Nico Williams, who has already entered the September squad and offers overflow , or Brais Méndez, key in the great start of Real Sociedad and seeing the door, with five goals in LaLiga Santander.
To these names, we must add that of Mikel Oyarzabal, who has not yet played since his serious knee injury in March, but who would surely be permanent if he is considered fit, and, as a surprise, that of the young Rodrigo Riquelme, who could make the jump from the U21 after his brilliant start with Girona.