Spain manager Luis de la Fuente announced his preliminary squad for Euro 2024 on Monday, naming 29 players, with the likes of Marco Asensio and Lucas Vazquez missing out, while Jose Gaya and Isco will miss the tournament through injury. He also declared that he would be takintg the full allowance of 26 players in the squad.
It means that three players will be facing the cut from the final squad for Germany, which will be decided at some point during their training camp. According to Relevo, the competition will be between five players for two remaining spots, with de la Fuente having decided the rest of his squad.
Athletic Club defender Dani Vivian has the largest battle on his hands to convince the Spain staff he should go, with Aymeric Laporte and Robin Le Normand starters, Nacho Fernandez bringing experience and versatility. Pau Cubarsi has the faith of de la Fuente and his staff, who feel he is brimming with talent.
The likelihood is that Girona captain Aleix Garcia and Fermin Lopez of Barcelona compete for a spot. Garcia has undoubtedly proven himself much more, but missed out on the friendlies in March, and perhaps suffers from having other more similar players to him in the squad. Fermin has the backing of under-21 coach Santi Denia, who de la Fuente liases with, as well as being versatile and providing goal threat from deep. Above all, Lopez’s personality is working in his favour.
Finally, Real Betis forward Ayoze Perez and Ferran Torres look set to dispute the final spot. Ayoze has enjoyed a strong season at the Benito Villamarin, playing across the frontline and scoring 11 goals. Torres has the same amount of goals, but has not scored since the 18th of January, and has battled injuries all season. In recent weeks, he has also started on the bench for Barcelona once fit.
Normally, Torres would be a fixed choice for de la Fuente, but ‘the shark’ must prove to his coach that he has the bite of prior years in order to make the cut. Unless he does, it will be Ayoze on his way to Germany.
In times past, Garcia might have had a better chance of making the plane, with a more controlling style under Julen Lopetegui and Luis Enrique, but one of the alterations that de la Fuente has tried to implement in his year in charge is making Spain more vertical. Certainly Lopez fits the bill much more clearly if de la Fuente is looking for goal threat off the bench.
Image via EFE/EPA/Robert Perry