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How Luis de la Fuente needlessly derailed Carlos Espí’s momentum

For the second match in a row, Carlos Espi was left out of the Spain squad beat Croatia in the UEFA Nations League on Tuesday night. Luis De La Fuente confirmed

Published: Wednesday, 7 October 2026 at 8:00 AM
How Luis de la Fuente needlessly derailed Carlos Espí’s momentum
Key Things to Know
  • The writer argues Luis de la Fuente needlessly halted Carlos Espí's momentum by not playing him after a senior call-up.
  • Espí was summoned to replace the injured Ferran Torres but missed out on both senior matchday squads.
  • Spain defeated Croatia in the UEFA Nations League on Tuesday night without Espí involved in the team sheet.
The Story in 60 Seconds

Writer Hridyam Arora argues that Spain manager Luis de la Fuente harmed Carlos Espí's momentum by calling him up to the senior team without playing him. Espí was called up from the Spain under-21 squad to replace the injured Ferran Torres, but he was omitted from the matchday squads for two consecutive fixtures, including a UEFA Nations League win against Croatia.

The article criticizes De la Fuente for pulling Espí away from regular minutes with the under-21 team. Arora claims that leaving the Real Madrid player unused during the international break benefits no one, and notes that fans have questioned the manager's handling of the situation.

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