Spain coach defends leaving out Real Madrid youngster from squad – ‘His time and opportunity will come’ | OneFootball

Spain manager Luis de la Fuente announced the squad list for their upcoming FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Bulgaria and Turkey.

The La Roja head coach named two Real Madrid players in the list, with Dani Carvajal and Dean Huijsen getting included.

However, there was no place in the squad for youngster Gonzalo Garcia, despite his impressive form in recent months, which saw him finish as the top scorer at the FIFA Club World Cup during the summer.

De la Fuente on leaving Gonzalo out

Speaking to the media after announcing the squad list, De la Fuente explained his decision to not call Gonzalo up for the Spain squad, with the young forward instead getting named in the U-21 roster.

The La Roja manager stated that Gonzalo is very much on their radar and that the youngster just needs to keep working and his moment would soon arrive.

“I happily remember my military service, and I said this with all the affection in the world. Gonzalo is on the path he has to take,” said De la Fuente.

“We’ve been following him since before, we sensed his potential… and his time and opportunity will come, when we consider it appropriate,” he added.

Continuing, De la Fuente noted: “What I meant by military service is that everyone has to earn merits and that this is very subjective; not everyone is the same, and it depends on many things.”

Gonzalo was not called up for Spain by De la Fuente. (Photo by Luke Hales/Getty Images)

“Gonzalo is working well, he’s going to grow a lot in the U21s, and hopefully there will be many Gonzalos, Jesuses, etc., that’s very good for us.”

On Carvajal’s return

De la Fuente has recalled Real Madrid captain Dani Carvajal right back to the squad after the defender only recently returned from a lengthy absence due to an ACL injury.

Manchester City’s Rodri, a summer target for Real Madrid, also finds himself back in the Spain roster after going through a similar situation as Carvajal. Explaining their return, De la Fuente said:

“The important thing is that they’re back and can contribute a lot. They’re our captains, the best in the world in their positions, and they contribute a lot to us on and off the pitch.”

Talking about Carvajal and Rodri’s roles in the Spain setup, he added: “I brought them here because it’s a new era and they’re going to bring a lot to the table. We need everyone involved and clear about what’s at stake.

“We have a very tough standings and we want to consolidate the family concept from the start. They’re both training and playing well. They know their role. It doesn’t mean they’ll play for sure if they come, but what I’m sure of is that they’ll both be vital.”

Spain will take on Bulgaria and Turkey, both away from home, in early September. And Real Madrid’s Arda Guler, who will be in action for the Turkish national team, earned some praise from De la Fuente.

“He is very versatile, a tremendous player, and they have a very good and aggressive team overall,” he noted.

Source: MARCA