Luis Enrique Martinez revolutionized the eleven against the Czech Republic and it is expected that there will be changes again in the two remaining games of this first edition of the UEFA Nations League. In the match in Prague, the Spanish coach made up to eight changes compared to the eleven that he presented in Seville to face Portugal, against whom he also scored a point. There were three names left that maintain the technician’s confidence whenever he has called them. The goalkeeper Unai Simonthe titularísimo for the selector, Gavithe apple of his eye and the best so far in concentration, and paul sarabia they remained in the initial team.
In fact, the striker from Madrid always seems to be covered, one of those who a priori is not counted on, but Luis Enrique It gives you more and more confidence. The PSG footballer, who played this past season on loan to Sporting de Portugal, has played 16 of the last 17 games for the national team. Only the semifinal of the European Championship was lost, when Spain, precisely, was eliminated. He may appear in few pools, but he is always in the most important, that of the coach.
In the case of the goalkeeper, he has always been a starter in official matches since November 2020. The Asturian coach thus settled the debate in goal when De Gea seemed untouchable. The Manchester United goalkeeper is no longer called up and takes two other goalkeepers unknown to the general public, but vital in their teams: David Raya, from Brentford, and Robert Sánchez, from Brighton. A Unai Simon he only gave him rest in two friendlies, against Lithuania, in June of last year, and against Albania in Cornellà last March. Confidence in Athletic Club’s goalkeeper is total.
Gavi, for his part, has played in every game since Luis Enrique called him up for the first time last October. And that premiered nothing more and nothing less with a Nations League Final Four with matches against Italy and France. Since then, a total of eight games, all starters except the last friendly against Iceland. In addition, his performance is getting better and better and in the last match against the Czech Republic he made his debut as a scorer with the national team, being the youngest in history to score with the Red.
The Asturian coach is a man with fairly fixed ideas, but as predictable in his calls as unpredictable in his line-ups. He usually has a fairly fixed group, but later, throughout his career, he has always been very much in favor of rotations. It is a solution that allows you to keep the team always plugged in and constantly on alert. And in the national team he has it even easier than in the clubs in which he has been. In the national team there are no budgets or template planning. He is used to selecting the 23 he wants (in this concentration there were 25), the best and that allow him to have a balance in a fully compensated and competitive squad. He also prioritizes versatile players who give him more alternatives. As in the case of the strikers, who can all play in the three positions above, or even some in midfield. That’s why he didn’t relieve Thiago when he got injured.
It remains to be seen tonight’s eleven against Switzerland. unai Y Gavi it seems that they will continue as headlines and it remains to be seen it will also be Sarabiawith more competition above.
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Ferran Martinez
