Barcelona workhorse still waiting for first World Cup minutes with Spain | OneFootball

Eric Garcia became one of Hansi Flick’s most trusted players at FC Barcelona last season, but his role with Spain tells a very different story.

La Roja secured qualification for the World Cup round of 32 with a narrow 1-0 victory over Uruguay, yet the Barcelona defender once again remained on the bench. Three group-stage matches have now passed without Eric making a single appearance in the tournament.

That comes as a surprise considering the campaign he enjoyed at club level. According to Mundo Deportivo, Eric accumulated 3,955 minutes under Flick across all competitions, making him Barcelona’s third most-used player behind only Joan Garcia and Pau Cubarsi.

His consistency, tactical intelligence, and versatility were major reasons behind that workload. Whether deployed as a centre-back, right-back, or defensive midfielder when required, Eric repeatedly proved himself to be one of Flick’s most reliable options.

A different picture under Luis de la Fuente

Spain manager Luis de la Fuente has preferred continuity in his defensive setup. Pau Cubarsi and Aymeric Laporte have established themselves as the first-choice centre-back pairing, while Marcos Llorente and Pedro Porro have shared responsibilities at right-back.

That has left Eric waiting patiently for an opportunity that has yet to arrive.

It is also not the first time this has happened. Eric was part of Spain’s squad at the 2022 World Cup under Luis Enrique but did not feature in any of the team’s four matches. Four years later, he is still waiting to make his World Cup debut.

For Barcelona, there is no questioning his importance. Flick’s confidence in the defender has transformed his standing within the squad, and his ability to perform multiple roles makes him one of the German coach’s most valuable tactical pieces.

While it would undoubtedly benefit Eric to gain World Cup minutes, Barcelona supporters can also take some comfort from his reduced workload.

The latter stages of the tournament will place enormous physical demands on international players, and the defender should remain fresh if his chance eventually comes.

Spain’s defensive unit has performed well so far, keeping three consecutive clean sheets, meaning De la Fuente has had little reason to change a winning formula.

However, tournaments often require squad depth as they progress. If that moment arrives, Eric Garcia has already shown throughout the past season that he is more than capable of stepping in when called upon.