Friday, November 15, 2024, 09:24
Iñigo Martínez is having a good start to the season. The footballer from Ondarroa has become an essential piece in Hansi Flick’s Barcelona. He is one of the regulars in the German team’s lineup, leads the Barça defense and has even scored two goals in the Champions League. However, his name has not appeared in the latest call-up for Luis de la Fuente’s Spanish team.
And the Riojan coach did not turn to the former Athletic player either when, in the middle of this week, Pau Torres fell from the summons due to muscle discomfort. Instead, the coach of the current European champion opted for a teammate of Martínez: Pau Cubarsí.
This decision has caught the attention of many. In part, because the young central defender from Girona, 17 years old, suffered a tremendous blow to the face last week that caused him to have to receive ten stitches.
But still. De la Fuente chose Cubarsí instead of Iñigo Martínez. And this Thursday he offered an explanation. «I had a clear idea with Pau Cubarsí. It was the first option we had. He had that problem on his face, but seeing the performance he gave in Anoeta cleared up the doubt that he was in perfect condition. But that loss (of Pau Torres) has made us recover a player who was in our plans. The thing about Iñigo is as simple as there are others who enter my plans and are the ones I want to count on. It’s that simple and without any slight. “I think about other players,” he launched forcefully.
