Berlin Germany).- Luis de la Fuente only presented one surprise in his starting eleven to debut in the Euro Cup: the ownership of Cucurella, called up due to Gayà’s injury, above Grimaldo, a priori the starting left back and who has produced 31 goals this season (12 goals and 19 assists) with Bayer Leverkusen. The former’s good performance in the friendlies against Andorra and Northern Ireland and the great level that he has shown in training – he already tried forming a band with Nico in Thursday’s session – have ended up tipping the balance in his favor.
In any case, few would have thought a few months ago that Cuckoo would have some option of even sneaking into the call. The ‘3’ position has given the coach real headaches. In less than a year, in fact, he has tested eight players! in that demarcation, something completely unusual. And more so in the final stretch of preparation for a great tournament.
La Roja won the Nations League 12 months ago, curiously on penalties against Croatia. Those chosen by De la Fuente to compete in that Final Four were Jordi Alba and Juan Bernat (the latter ended up causing him to leave due to physical problems). Life has changed a lot since then: Alba retired from the National Team in September and Bernat, plagued by injuries, has played only seven games this season for Benfica. The one who replaced Bernat on the list was Fran García, very much liked by the technicians. His lack of minutes with Real Madrid has prevented him from gaining the necessary rhythm to qualify to be present at the Euro event. First three discards.
After that conquest Gayà and Balde returned. The two, in principle, were going to form the wing-back pair for the Euros. But the first fell in the last days of the League and the second suffered a serious mishap in his ischium in January that kept him KO. It was time to remove. The one chosen to replace Balde in October – he also suffered discomfort – was Alfonso Pedraza, from Villareal. It debuted and had no continuity.
In November, finally, Grimaldo arrived, one of the fashionable sides in Europe. He has participated five times and, without Gayà, seemed destined to share the side with Williams. And in the end Cucurella has given him the surprise, after entering the March squad against all odds and liking (a lot) in the friendly against Brazil at the Bernabéu. His enormous end to the season with Chelsea, which he has maintained in Las Rozas, Badajoz, Palma and Donaueschingen, gives him an opportunity that not even he himself would have expected. As a curiosity, Cucurella became captain of the National Team on June 8, 2021 when a plan B had to be resorted to against Lithuania due to the coronavirus crisis.
Before the start, the Barça youth player spoke to the official UEFA media: “We have been together for a long time, wanting to face this match. The day has arrived. We know what we have to do and we will go for the three points. They (Croatia) are a great team, with very good players. In important tournaments they always have a prominent role, but we know what we have to do. “If we use our weapons, we have the potential to win and hurt them.”
