Out-of-favour Barcelona star handed surprise start in Spain vs France showdown | OneFootball

A member of the defensive ranks at La Liga giants Barcelona was afforded something of a surprise starting berth in tonight’s highly-anticipated meeting between France and Spain.

The player in question? Clément Lenglet.

Stopper Lenglet of course spent this past season out on loan away from Barcelona.

After quickly being deemed surplus to requirements by incoming Blaugrana head coach Hansi Flick, the former Sevilla man linked up with Diego Simeone’s Atlético Madrid for the duration of the campaign.

And Lenglet went on to rediscover some of his very best form at the Metropolitano, en route to three goals and two assists across 34 appearances in all competitions.

As much culminated in a recall to the France national team for the country’s Nations League semi-final meeting with Spain this evening.

It nevertheless came as a surprise, though, when Lenglet was thrown straight back in at the deep end by boss Didier Deschamps.

In the absence of William Saliba, the Barcelona man has joined Liverpool’s Ibrahima Konaté at the heart of the French defence in Stuttgart.

Conor Laird – GSFN