Monday workout!

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

20-year-old Barcelona starlet on Spain’s preliminary squad list for Euro qualifiers

Photo by THOMAS COEX/AFP via Getty Images

A report from SPORT has claimed that the Spanish Football Federation has informed Barcelona that head coach Luis de la Fuente has added young midfielder Fermin Lopez to his pre-list of those who will be called for La Rojas’ upcoming Euro qualifiers against Cyprus and Georgia.

Interestingly, it must be noted that Fermin’s inclusion does not guarantee his presence on the final list, but it does bring him one step closer to potentially making his debut with the Spanish national team.

Nothing but a courtesy protocol

The RFEF’s decision to inform Barcelona about the pre-list happens to be a standard procedure which ensures that the club is aware of the players’ availability for international duty during the break.

During the previous pre-list that de la Fuente had named, he listed 49 players, including Barcelona’s Gavi, Alejandro Balde, Oriol Romeu, Lamine Yamal, Inigo Martinez, and Ferran Torres. 

Fermin Lopez is yet to appear for the Spanish national team. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images)

However, only Gavi, Balde, Torres, and Yamal ultimately made it to the final squad.

Luis de la Fuente trusts Fermin

Although not legally obliging, the coach’s decision to include Fermin in this initial squad demonstrates his keen interest in monitoring his remarkable progress during his outstanding season at Barça.

Furthermore, it is worth noting that Fermin’s impressive performance has already earned him his debut with the Spanish Under-21 team during the last international break.

Now, the probability is high that come November 10, Santi Denia, the Spanish U-21 coach, will include Fermin’s name in his selection, although De la Fuente did express a desire to keep the possibility of a first senior team call-up open for him.

For De la Fuente, Fermin’s quality is worth nothing and he has already iterated a few words for the young talent.

“Well, that’s football, but surely that career will have helped Fermin to mature, to see the hardest part of football,” said the national team manager. 

“Fermin, who is at a fantastic level and is a very good boy, will have clung to that dream of being a footballer and he is a very interesting player,” he added.