Spain will face Serbia this Friday in Castellón in the first of the two friendlies that will be played in a general rehearsal before the coach, Luis de la Fuente, decides to draw up the final list of the 24 players who will head to the USA, Mexico and Canada to compete in the 2026 World Cup. The next duel will be next Tuesday against Egypt at the Espanyol stadium in Barcelona.
The Rioja coach has already left a sketch of what could be the final list, with four new faces, among which he has stood out the name of Joan García. The FC Barcelona goalkeeper, called up for the first time, has gathered for the first time with La Roja in a concentration with four goalkeepers, him plus the three usual ones: Unai Simón, David Raya and Álex Remiro.
Also highlighted in Luis de la Fuente’s call were the absences of regular footballers such as Robin Le Normand, Dani Vivian, Marc Pubill -with physical problems- or Captain Dani Carvajalwho since his serious injury has not had many minutes at Real Madrid, which is hindering him from being able to make the final list for the World Cup.
Precisely, Joan García, in an exclusive interview on RTVEhas shown his intention to be in the World Cup that starts on June 11 and to do so he will “give everything” on the field to make the decision difficult for Luis de la Fuente in the face of the final call to configure the squad that will fight for the second star in the United States, Mexico and Canada.
“Being called up in a national team week, in a World Cup year, makes you have those hopes. Maybe so, but I think I have to continue working the same, trying to improve and then“If I receive the call in the summer, I will be delighted and very excited,” revealed the Barcelona goalkeeper in response to the questions raised in the interview on RTVE.
a wish that It begins with a first setback for the culé goalkeepersince he was ruled out early this Friday for the match against the Serbians. He is the player who has been left without a number.
Luis de la Fuente remains faithful to his three usual goalkeepers in this first friendly of this national team break. It will be the Athletic goalkeeper who will occupy the goal, in a clear declaration of intentions from the coach as to who will be the starting goalkeeper for the World Cup.
Serbia and Egypt, two test beds before the World Cup
Luis de la Fuente has an undemanding window in which he can test and configure the last fringes for what will be his last call for the World Cup train, so it is very possible that ‘elevens’ will be seen very different in the two duels against Serbia and Egyptwhich will serve as a test bed before deciding who will be the final 24 members of the group.
The first of the matches will be at the Estadio de la Cerámica against Serbia this Friday, a team that was left out of the World Cup mathematically after losing to England in November by 2-0 and Albania’s victory against Andorra.
The second game will arrive on Tuesday, It will be in Cornellá against Egypt. The African team can be considered a real World Cup test, since it will be in the US, Mexico and Canada. This team is in Group G, along with Belgium, Iran – which already announced that it would not attend the World Cup due to the war in its country – and New Zealand.
