Lhe Spanish team returns to activity next week. On Thursday 26, Luis Enrique gives the list of summoned for the September window, the second of the qualifying phase for the World Cup in Qatar. The idea of the coach is to go with everything, because Spain plays a large part of the options of not having to go to the playoff to be in the World Cup.
That play-off is not like the old ones. Now it would be a matter of winning two games against different rivals, that is, two direct finals, one of the marked routes. There will be three routes, the 10 group runners-up and the two best of the past will go League of Nations. This will complete the 13 European places for Qatar.
In that plan are the players who set the Euro on fire with the Games: Pedri, Eric García, Pau Torres, Unai Simón, Oyarzabal and Dani Olmo. They are an essential part of the group that reached the semifinals of the Eurocup and Luis Enrique it is clear that this base must be in some key games. The tie before Greece in Granada at the premiere of the group obliges. Because Spain cannot afford a defeat in Solna against Sweden on day 2, because that would be losing many of the options of being first and acquiring the only direct ticket for the Qatar World Cup. The other two games are on day 5 (in Badajoz, before Georgia) and 8 (visit to Kosovo).
Of the six Olympians, three have taken vacations. Pau Torres after the Spanish Super Cup, Dani Olmo right back from Tokyo and Unai Simon in the middle of last week. The central, the most squeezed, will not play in the first three days of the League; the one from Leipzig wants to be on the list and Unai too. The idea of the goal is to return after a little more than a week and train to play on the third day and that Luis Enrique can count on its starting goalkeeper in the last 13 matches of the national team. Meanwhile, Dani Olmo returns to training this Friday, but in no case would he play before the game with Wolfsburg (August 29, with the list already given). The RSB Leipzig will calibrate the physical condition of the Spanish striker, but starting the Bundesliga with defeat may influence that his return is not postponed until after the break.
Eric García, Pedri and Oyarzabal started, and at a good level, in the first league match.
Pedri’s holidays in May
Of all of them, the case that has generated the most debate is that of Pedri. The canary closed the season with 73 games and six overtimes between the Euro and the Games. Barcelona wanted Pedri to rest in the September break, but the first one they don’t want is the player. The canary is ‘hooked’ on the national team and does not want to miss matches in which the World Cup is at stake. And what is Pedri for Luis Enrique the facts say it.
On the other hand, Pedri did have a vacation. Barcelona got ahead of them after running out of options for the last day of LaLiga. Thus, between May 17 and 31, Pedri was able to disconnect, a week before most of his colleagues. That does not mean that the selection is aware of the need to regulate the times of the canary.
Continuing list
It will not be identical to that of the Euro, but it will be very similar. How is normal. Sergio Ramos It will not be a question mark, because it is low. He has not played since May 6 and will not do so again until the return of the break.
In Manchester, Laporte and Rodri they have started the season as substitutes. The situation of the middle center may be more delicate before the push of Zubimendi. In the reserve of player pieces Luis Enrique is always well placed Mikel merino, who was left out of the Eurocup by a shoulder injury. And if someone flies in these first days …
