Luis de la Fuente explains call-up of €15m Barcelona midfielder to Spain squad | OneFootball

Spain have announced their squad for the November international break where they are set to take on Denmark and Switzerland. It included four players from Barcelona – Lamine Yamal, Pedri, Dani Olmo and Marc Casado.

While the former three are regulars in the national team, this is a first call-up for Marc Casado. It is a testament to the 21-year-old’s performances so far this season that Luis de la Fuente has given him a deserved call-up.

Out of nowhere, Hansi Flick has cherry-picked Casado out of the academy and made him the engine room of the first team. The €15m-rated midfielder has become undroppable for the German coach and has finally managed to replace Sergio Busquets at Barcelona, at least for the time being.

It was only a matter of time before the senior Spain call-up came and as quoted by Mundo Deportivo, Luis de la Fuente has explained the rationale behind selecting the 21-year-old for this round of matches. He said:

“His call-up is due to his quality, work and talent. There are footballers who need the highest demands to get the best out of themselves. Probably if he hadn’t been put in the Barça first team we wouldn’t have seen his ability. This is a very clear case, he is a footballer who still has a lot to say and to improve.”

De La Fuente, throughout his time managing Spain, has shown that he is not afraid to give youngsters a chance. His Euro-winning campaign back in the summer was built on youngsters like Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams and he continues to depict his faith in his selection.

With Rodri not set to be available for the foreseeable future, the stage is set for a new midfielder to take up his role in the Spain team and show that he can be an able deputy to the Manchester City superstar going forward.

The biggest competitor to Marc Casado for the #6 position in De La Fuente’s plans is Real Sociedad midfielder Martin Zubimendi. The versatility of the Barcelona star also means that he can be paired with the Basque club midfielder, should the need arise.

Casado deserves the accolades he has been getting in recent times. He has done the hard yards to get to where he is and shows no signs of looking back. Let’s hope that the 21-year-old can earn his first senior cap against Denmark or Switzerland and carry his club form onto the international stage.