Spain coach Luis de la Fuente called up Real Betis midfielder Isco on Monday for the Nations League final four, six years after his last appearance for La Roja.
Spain coach Luis de la Fuente called up Real Betis midfielder Isco
The 33-year-old former Real Madrid player has been rewarded for a fine season with Real Betis in which he scored 12 goals and provided 10 assists in 32 appearances and helped them reach Wednesday’s Conference League final.
They plays France on June 5 in the German city of Stuttgart.
Real Madrid’s new defensive signing from Bournemouth, Dean Huijsen, who impressed in the quarter-final win over the Netherlands, returns to the squad, while Barcelona midfielders Gavi and Fermin Lopez also make the cut.
Teenage winger Lamine Yamal and playmaker Pedri are the key figures, along with Athletic Bilbao attacker Nico Williams.
“I’ve never paid attention to how long they’ve been away,” De la Fuente said. “It was the right time for Isco to return, he’ll be there and he’ll contribute, because if I had thought otherwise, he wouldn’t have been there.”
Rodri recently returned for Manchester City after a long layoff
Rodri recently returned for Manchester City after a long layoff because of a serious knee injury, but De la Fuente felt it was too soon to bring him back to the national team.
“He’s very important but has been out for eight months and played only 10 minutes,” De la Fuente said. “I’ve spoken with him and we thought it wasn’t the time to take any risks.”
Spain Squad
Goalkeepers: Unai Simon, David Raya, Alex Remiro
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Defenders: Pedro Porro, Oscar Mingueza, Robin Le Normand, Pau Cubarsi, Dean Huijsen, Alejandro Grimaldo, Marc Cucurella, Dani Vivian
Midfielders: Martin Zubimendi, Fabian Ruiz, Mikel Merino, Alex Baena, Pedri, Fermin Lopez, Gavi, Isco
Forwards: Alvaro Morata, Lamine Yamal, Nico Williams, Yeremy Pino, Dani Olmo, Samu Aghehowa, Mikel Oyarzabal.
