Spain national team coach Luis de la Fuente called up 7 FC Barcelona players to his roster to face the Netherlands in their two leg Nations League quarterfinal.
Amongst the 7 are two surprise selections and one tough omission, with Gavi being left out and Ferran Torres and Iñigo Martinez both selected. Torres hasn´t seen much of the field lately for Barca and Martinez returns to the Spain fold after being left out of the 2024 European Championship squad.
Lamine Yamal joins Torres amongst the forwards selected, along with Dani Olmo, listed as a forward but often used as an attacking midfielder by de la Fuente. However, de la Fuente has indicated he will use Pedri in a more advanced role, who was not surprisingly selected along with Marc Casado.
Joining Martinez in the back is Pau Cubarsi. While both should play, it will be interesting to see who de la Fuente pairs at centerback with Atletico Madrid´s Robin Le Normand and Real Madrid´s Raul Asencio also available.
Expect to see Pedri and Lamine start both matches, as both have become integral ingredients to de la Fuente´s success. Pedri is playing at a world-class level, and Lamine is being Lamine, toying with back lines across Europe.
Another interesting twist will be who plays the 9 for Spain. In captain Alvaro Morata they have a hard-working player that often comes up short in front of goal. Torres hasn´t been extremely productive on the international level either, but it´s 20-year-old Samuel Omorodion who could see a good deal of playing time. With 14 goals in 22 matches at Porto this season, and at 6ft 3in, 200 pounds he is perhaps Spain´s future 9.
There´s no question Spain is favored over former Barca manager Ronald Koeman´s Dutch team. After winning the Euro´s they´ve only improved with several key players showing considerable dvelopment.
Mikel Merino and Robin Le Normand both moved onto bigger clubs from Real Sociedad, and have shown they can shine on the bigger stage, Merino in the Premier League with Arsenal and Le Normand at Atletico Madrid.
Pedri played out of his mind last summer but is somehow been even better this season with Barca. Like at Barca, he is one player de la Puente can´t leave out of his starting IX in a big game.
And then you have the two young phenoms Lamine and Nico Williams, who torched every defense they faced at the Euro´s. They both continue to score big goals for club and de la Puente will rely on them to do the same for country.
Two games in a Nations League competition that in the big picture really means nothing. It isn´t about beating Holland, although Spain likely will, but is more a preview of the 2026 World Cup favorites.