Pau Torres called up to Spanish National Team

Luis Enrique has included Pau Torres in the selection for the matches against Germany and Ukraine. These matches will both take place the first week of September, one week before the season starts. Pau scored in his only appearance so far for the Spanish National Team, a 7-0 destruction of Malta last November.

Enrique’s choices for this particular selection were interesting, as he seems to have a very large contingent of young players either looking for a debut (Fati) or who will be given the chance to prove something to the coach (Pau and others). I personally have questions about the seven different players who can function on the wing, and whether that was necessary, and someone like Oscar Rodriguez being included when his primary utility is dead balls strikes me as odd.

The goalkeeping situation will draw a lot of attention when that international break arrives. Kepa and De Gea have been badly out of form, yet they still received call ups, while Unai Simon- strictly from a football standpoint- should be the obvious starter. Will Enrique go with form or politics in his selection?

Speaking of politics, does anyone else find it interesting that Eric Garcia barely played for Man City last year, but all the sudden he is being linked with Enrique’s old club Barcelona and he gets a call up? Perhaps I’m being overly cynical.

The likely way I see those matches playing out are Enrique playing a very strong XI against Germany and then rotating against Ukraine and letting some of these young players get some action. It will certainly be interesting to see, but with the break so close to the start of the season, I just want Pau to stay healthy. I’m completely fine with other Villarreal players not getting called up because that ensures they don’t get hurt at such a crucial team.