‘The one who doesn’t go is the best‘ — Santiago Canizares says Barcelona star could miss World Cup despite being Spain’s best | OneFootball

Joan Garcia was one of the few players that FC Barcelona added to their squad in the last summer transfer window, and the Spaniard has not needed a lot of time to prove his worth to the Catalan club.

His performances with the Blaugrana have been impressive, helping him establish himself as a reliable presence between the posts. These displays have also sparked discussions about his potential involvement with the Spanish national team, particularly as the World Cup in the United States approaches.

Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images

As things stand, Garcia has not been called up by Luis de la Fuente, as Unai Simon, David Raya, and Alex Remiro remain the three goalkeepers for La Roja. However, owing to his strong performances, some notable voices have advocated for him to be the starting goalkeeper for the national team.

The latest individual to back the Barcelona goalie was the former Valencia and Real Madrid shot-stopper, Santiago Canizares, who, speaking to El Partidazo on Cope (via Mundo Deportivo), was quite clear on who should be the starter between the sticks for Spain:

“The debate about the national team is going to give a lot to talk about, and the debate over the goalkeeper is, for me, shaped by two things. First, it’s very difficult to choose a goalkeeper for this World Cup because, from my point of view, the one who doesn’t go is the best (Joan García), the backup is fantastic (David Raya), and the starter is the one who raises the most doubts (Unai Simón).”

The contrast between Joan Garcia and Unai Simon was rather clear last night, as the former kept a clean sheet, while the latter conceded five goals.

This performance might also affect Luis de la Fuente’s preferences, but there is still quite a lot of time remaining till the coach announces his World Cup squad on 20th March.