There is much excitement in Europe over the announcement of the Spain squad for the upcoming European Championship.
Spain coach Luis de la Fuente is yet to make the final list, but in a recent interview with La Vanguardia, he offered many hints as to who may make the squad.
De la Fuente extensively talked about a few of the Barcelona players, including young phenom Lamine Yamal.
De la Fuente on Yamal
De la Fuente had no qualms in admitting that Yamal is a ‘special player’, but added that he requires proper support.
“There are special footballers like him who at 16 have something different and you know that they are prepared for things that others are not until they are 23 or 24 years old.
“If he ends up playing in the Euro Cup it will be because he is prepared and because he has that special talent of a chosen one,” said Luis de la Fuente (h/t Mundo Deportivo).
De la Fuente also acknowledged that “Messi comes to mind” whenever he speaks about Yamal and pointed out that “it would be a mistake to put pressure on him.”.
The Spain coach, though, stressed that Yamal requires proper support and one must not put too much pressure on the youngster.
“He will need support because he will go through difficult times, because those who compliment him now will be the first to criticize him, and we professionals know that he will have sawtooth, he is in the process of training,” he said.
You have to be prudent, be cautious, but at the same time, demanding because there are not many with that potential. We have to demand them according to their level of maturity,” the coach added.
De la Fuente on Pedri
Apart from Yamal, another Barcelona youngster likely to make the Spain team is Pedri Gonzalez.
Despite his injury woes over the past three years, de la Fuente has immense faith in the youngster’s abilities and believes he can bring out his true self.
“Pedri has to become Pedri. But he can appear at any time because he has a lot of talent and is a great player. I know him very well, I have been one of his supporters since he was very young. I know perfectly well what Pedri can give me at any time,” he said.
“He knows what I am going to ask of him. He will always have my recognition, and I am sure that with me he will always be at a good level,” he added.
De la Fuente hinted that someone like Fermin Lopez could be in contention, even though he did not specifically point to the Barcelona breakout star.
“We follow all the players, and the majority have been on a pre-list. We will value everything and match those who best adapt to our needs, regardless of whether they have been with us or not, that will not be a problem,” he said.
Gavi to miss out on Euro 2024
Finally, the Spanish manager also talked about Gavi’s situation, with the midfielder more than likely to miss out on Euro 2024 due to his injury.
De la Fuente praised Gavi for his talents and acknowledged he would be a big miss for Spain in Euro 2024.
“He is a unique footballer, very important for Barça and for the national team in all aspects. He is a very loved player. for all his teammates and he gave us a lot of energy. It’s going to be a very important loss,” he concluded.
