Isco set for Spain snub as Luis de la Fuente also expected to overlook in-form goalkeeper | OneFootball

This Friday, Spain head coach Luis de la Fuente will name his squad for the upcoming UEFA Nations League quarter-final against The Netherlands. La Roja are favourites to continue their pursuit of defending the title that they won in 2023, although there are plenty of doubts about their squad, which will be significant different to the one that won Euro 2024 last summer.

De la Fuente is still without the services of Dani Carvajal and Rodri Hernandez, who are out for the rest of the season after ACL injuries. Furthermore, Dani Vivian is set to miss out after sustaining a hamstring problem last week, while another key central defender that will be absent is Aymeric Laporte, who is also ruled out because of injury.

These absences have created problems in defence, especially when taking into account that previous call-ups Robin Le Normand and Aitor Paredes have struggled for form in recent months. As such, there are significant chances for the likes of Real Madrid youngster Raul Asencio and AFC Bournemouth starlet Dean Huijsen, while Barcelona’s Pau Cubarsi is a certainty to be called upon by de la Fuente.

Joan Garcia has been one of the best goalkeepers in La Liga this season, but it does not look like being enough to get him into the Spain squad (Photo by Cordon Press)

In other areas, there are also doubts, although these have been created by the strong performances of players who have not been in the Spain set-up. Joan Garcia has been in spectacular form for Espanyol this season, and he has been tipped to earn his first senior call-up, although Relevo say that he will miss out in favour of de la Fuente retaining his usual trio of Unai Simon, David Raya and Alex Remiro.

Another in-form player with chances of a call-up is Isco, who has come back from a broken leg in fine style. He is desperate to make his La Roja return, but according to another report from Relevo, he is expected to be snubbed, as de la Fuente intends to count on younger players in midfield.