Spain have announced a 27-man squad for the upcoming Nations League fixtures, with first senior call-ups for defender Jacobo Ramón and goalkeeper Álvaro Valles. Manager Luis de la Fuente unveiled the group on Friday, a day overshadowed by mourning following a recent national tragedy.

The team enters this international break in excellent form, riding a four-game winning streak. That run includes a 2-1 victory over Croatia on October 6th and a 3-1 win against the Czech Republic on October 3rd, the latter being their next opponent on November 12th. The collective performance has been strong, with Mikel Oyarzabal leading the scoring charts this season with five goals in eight appearances, according to our stats data.

The new faces

Jacobo Ramón, aged 21, earns his first call-up after having represented Spain at under-21 level on five occasions and making 14 senior appearances for Italian club Como. Meanwhile, Álvaro Valles, with no prior youth caps for Spain, debuts as a senior international following his spells at UD Las Palmas and Real Betis. De la Fuente has chosen to include four goalkeepers, completing the set with Unai Simón, David Raya, and Joan García.

The defence features experienced campaigners like Aymeric Laporte and promising talents such as Pau Cubarsí, Arnau Martínez, Dean Huijsen, and Pedro Porro. Full-backs Marc Cucurella and Alejandro Grimaldo are also included. The midfield list is both deep and talented, comprising Fabián Ruiz, Pedri, Mikel Merino, Martín Zubimendi, Álex Baena, Fermín López, Wilmar Barrios, and Marc Roca. The attack is formed by Mikel Oyarzabal, Ferran Torres, Sergio Roberto, Lamine Yamal, Nico Williams, Yeremy Pino, and Ander Barrenetxea.

Context and planning

The squad announcement was cast against the backdrop of the recent tragedy in Urda. Luis de la Fuente began his press conference by addressing it. "Today Spain is in mourning. We are hit by a tragedy that should never have happened. An entire country is crying again," the manager said.

On the sporting front, De la Fuente confirmed he will carefully manage his players' minutes across the two upcoming matches. He stated that no player will exceed 180 minutes between the two games, a measure to keep the squad fresh and competitive. With 27 players named, the coaching staff will have to cut four men before each match, in line with competition regulations.

The first objective is the clash against the Czech Republic on Wednesday, November 12th, a match for which Spain will be confident following their recent 3-1 win. After that fixture, La Roja will face England, completing a key group phase in their bid to reach the Nations League finals.

The original report is at Diario AS