Five reasons that explain why 21-year-old Barcelona midfielder has been called up by Spain | OneFootball

FC Barcelona and the Spanish National team have a proud and rich history that intertwines both teams. Typically, whenever the Catalan giants have had a successful period it has translated well for the Spanish team as well. As it just so happens, Barcelona are once again enjoying a rather fruitful season.

As a result of these tremendous displays under Hansi Flick so far in this campaign, there have been some Spanish players who have stood out as well. One of those players just so happens to be 21-year-old Marc Casado, a La Masia talent who has never tasted what it feels like to play for Spain at the senior level.

That was the case prior to today, as the young Barcelona gem has been called up by Luis de la Fuente to feature for Spain in the upcoming Nations League games against Denmark and Switzerland. For the first time in his career, Casado will now get the chance to make a name for himself at the highest level of international football.

Moreover, as highlighted by Mundo Deportivo, there are five possible reasons that explain how exactly the Spaniard has managed to convince Luis de la Fuente and why he is now set to debut for the Spanish National team’s senior side.

Balancing progression and defending:

Despite the fact that Marc Casado has been the leader for Barcelona in terms of attempted passes (850) and completed passes (729) this season, the young midfielder is also one of the leading names in terms of defensive actions and is never the kind of player to ignore those defensive duties during games.

One of Flick’s finest:

Emerging from the youth academy, Marc Casado has experienced the life of being a captain for Barcelona Atletic and is now experienced enough to be seen as one of the leaders in Hansi Flick’s first team as well. His commitment to the task remains unquestionable, and he knows exactly what sacrifice means as well.

A veteran for Spain’s youth:

Between the Under-16 and Under-21 teams of the Spanish National team, Marc Casado has a lot of experience. Most of it was dedicated to the Under-16 and Under-17 teams, and he managed to feature for the Under-21 team in the previous international break as well.

An eye for chances:

So far this season, Marc Casado has provided five assists for Barcelona across both La Liga (3) and the UEFA Champions League (2). This ability to pick out his teammates and find gaps in the opposition’s structure is something any manager would want in their team.

Consistent and crucial:

For Hansi Flick, Marc Casado is now an undisputed starter and for good reason. Over the course of the 16 games played by the team this season, Casado has started 12 of them and has only missed out on two games. Ever since Marc Bernal got injured, Casado has stepped up and helped elevate this Barcelona team.