Martín Zubimendi, as long as he maintains his current level of play, will be one of the novelties in the first list as coach of Luis de la Fuente, who on March 17 will give the squad for the qualifying matches for the Eurocopa-2024 of Germany against Norway (March 25, Malaga) and Scotland (Glasgow, three days later, on the 28th).
The new coach of Spain has focused on Real, third place in the Championship given the great performance that its players are offering. In addition to Zubimendi, Merino, Brais Méndez and Oyarzabal, his leading striker, are on the radar. The goalkeeper Alex Remiro could also join, since, for now, only Unai Simón could repeat with respect to the three who went to the World Cup. Robert Sánchez and David Raya do not have a guaranteed place.
Luis de la Fuente has always followed Real Sociedad players with interestwhich was one of his ‘mother-teams’ during his time as U-21 coach. In those years he summoned up to 15 players from the current squad of Imanol Alguacil: Merino, Olasagasti, Navarro, Roberto López, Zubeldia, Beñat Turrientes, Pacheco, Brais Méndez, González de Zárate, Karrikaburu, Zubimendi, Ayesa, Oyarzabal and Barrenetxea.
But the call for Zubimendi, who will arrive to occupy a position in which Busquets has reigned for the last 14 years, will not mean Rodri’s relocation as center back, as happened in Qatar. Rodri will be a center midfielder with De la Fuente, sometimes alone and on other occasions accompanied by Zubimendi and even, if necessary, Ceballoswhich will also return to the Selection lists.
Beyond the relief of Busquets, another of the issues that the new coach will have to resolve will be to increase the scoring power of La Roja. Morata was the only striker in the World Cup, something incomprehensible and more so in a list of 26 footballers. And Luis de la Fuente wants to have alternatives. At the moment the first four selectable scorers in the Pichichi table are, in this order, Joselu (11 goals), Iago Aspas and Borja Iglesias (9) and Sancet (8). The Athletic playmaker from Navarre has something that the new coach likes: the ability to surprise arrivals from the second line, a quality that another of the untouchables has not yet exploited with Spain: Pedri.
Finally, the other unknown that Luis de la Fuente must clear up is in the central position. Eric García, who lost ownership at Barça months ago, last October, does not have many ballots to enter the list on March 17. You have to find a replacement. Considering that the rivals are Norway (Haaland) and Scotland, a power from above, will require a specialist from above. The shadows of Sergio Ramos and Raúl Albiol are long.
