Although the countdown to the World Cup in the United States is still a long way off, coach Luis de la Fuente’s decisions within the Spanish national team have already begun, as he looks to shape the squad he will rely on for the highly anticipated global event.
However, the biggest surprise wasn’t the list of candidates, but rather the fact that a prominent Barcelona player was quietly excluded, despite his outstanding performances since the start of the season. The decision hasn’t gone unnoticed at the Catalan club, which regards the player as one of its most important recent signings and is counting on him to be a key player in the near future.
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Spanish sources confirmed that the Spanish coach decided not to call up young goalkeeper Juan García for the upcoming tournament, despite him being one of the Catalan team’s standout players since the start of the season and delivering performances that have made him one of the best-performing goalkeepers in La Liga.
García, who joined Barcelona for €25 million last summer, recently underwent meniscus surgery, which will keep him out for up to six weeks. Although his absence coincides only with the international break, De la Fuente’s stance was clear even before the injury.
In previous statements during the September training camp, the Spain coach made it clear that he had complete confidence in the trio of Unai Simón, David Raya, and Alex Remiro, emphasizing that they formed a “solid core” in goalkeeping, and that he had no plans to change them unless injuries or exceptional circumstances arose.
Thus, Juan García’s exclusion is not solely due to his injury, but stems from a firm technical conviction within the national team’s coaching staff. This has raised eyebrows within Barcelona, especially since the goalkeeper had proven his worth from the start of the season and was even considered one of the most prominent signings of the summer.
With his recovery imminent, García’s future with the national team remains uncertain, unless De la Fuente changes his mind at the last minute or his current squad faces exceptional circumstances that force him to consider alternatives.
