"De la Fuente has named a 26-man squad, with Barcelona well-represented once again. Pau Cubarsi, Lamine Yamal, Dani Olmo, Fermin Lopez, and Ferran Torres have all made the final list. However, there was one notable omission - Pedri, who continues to recover from his latest injury setback. The midfielder has been sidelined since the El Clasico in late October, and both Barcelona and Spain are keen to ensure he regains full fitness before returning to competitive action."
"The selection of Lamine Yamal, however, could become a talking point. The 18-year-old has not been operating at full fitness in recent weeks, and Barcelona's medical team have been carefully monitoring his workload to prevent further discomfort. The club believes a short period of rest would be more beneficial for his long-term recovery. Yet, according to reports, De la Fuente does not entirely share that view."
Spain sit top of Group E with a three-point lead over Turkey and can largely secure direct World Cup qualification with positive results against Georgia and Turkey. Only the group winners progress automatically while second place faces the play-offs. A 26-man squad was named that includes Barcelona players Pau Cubarsi, Lamine Yamal, Dani Olmo, Fermin Lopez, and Ferran Torres. Pedri was omitted as he continues to recover from an injury sustained in the El Clasico in late October, with both club and country prioritizing his full fitness. Lamine Yamal has reported fitness concerns, and Barcelona's medical staff favor rest, though the manager reportedly disagrees.
Read at Barca Universal
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