Spain head coach Luis de la Fuente has discussed Gavi's ongoing road back to the national team. While the Barcelona midfielder was not included in the latest 27-man squad for Nations League ties, De la Fuente insisted that Gavi remains a special case for the world champions.
Gavi continues recovery away from main squad
Barcelona midfielder Gavi continues his recovery process as Spain prepare for their final Nations League group fixtures against the Czech Republic and England. With key midfield figures Rodri and Dani Olmo sidelined through injury, competition for places in La Roja's engine room remains intense.
De la Fuente has called up Atletico Madrid's Pablo Barrios and Real Betis midfielder Marc Roca to bolster central options alongside Martin Zubimendi, Fabian Ruiz, Pedri, Mikel Merino, and Fermin Lopez.
Despite his current absence, Gavi's standing within the national team setup remains unquestioned.
De la Fuente labels Gavi a special exception
Speaking at his squad announcement press conference, De la Fuente emphasized that Gavi holds a unique position in his thoughts, while encouraging the teenager to keep building his form.
"Gavi always deserves an exception. It's very difficult to get into this group," De la Fuente declared.
"Gavi must continue being himself. He has to keep improving, like everyone else," the manager added, reinforcing his belief in the youngster's long-term future.
Navigating injuries in La Roja's engine room
The absence of key figures like Rodri and Olmo has forced De la Fuente to adapt his midfield structure, though he remains confident in the depth available.
Pablo Barrios returns to the squad after missing previous opportunities through injury, while Marc Roca earns a recall after a strong start to the season with Betis.
De la Fuente highlighted that maintaining high standards and mutual trust within the group allows new midfielders to adapt seamlessly to Spain's tactical demands.
Long-term vision for Spain's midfield structure
Spain gather on Monday at their training headquarters before traveling to Prague for Thursday's clash with the Czech Republic.
As La Roja look to secure a place in the Nations League quarter-finals scheduled for March, De la Fuente will continue monitoring Gavi's club progress.
The world champions aim to maintain their 42-game unbeaten run while building squad depth for future major tournaments.
A sports journalist with nearly a decade of experience, beginning the professional journey at Indonesia's legendary Tabloid BOLA from 2017 until its final print edition in December 2018. Following that, joining GOAL, contributing as a freelance writer for FIFA, and working within the media department of the ASEAN Football Federation (AFF). Alongside the journalism career, also active as a live play-by-play commentator for Indonesian football since 2017. Holds a bachelor's degree in History from the Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Padjadjaran, Bandung.
Football Story
Footballing identity built on geography, heritage, and childhood obsession. Although the father played for a traditional rival club, nine years living in Bandung made Persib a spiritual home, sparked in 2006 by Thai goalkeeper Kosin Hathairattanakool and witnessing firsthand how deeply locals own the club. Globally, the first true love was Ronaldo and Inter Milan, enduring the heartbreak of near-misses during injury-plagued years. With Dutch roots in Rotterdam, making Feyenoord the club of choice, the Netherlands national team has always remained close to the heart, highlighted by the 2010 World Cup final, a live 2013 friendly against Indonesia, and Oranje Indonesia watch parties. Arjen Robben and Giovanni van Bronckhorst remain ultimate favorites, while Football Manager 2005 sparked a lasting admiration for Athletic Bilbao’s philosophy. Outside football, allegiance lies with the Chicago Bulls and Golden State Warriors through icons like Michael Jordan, Derrick Rose, and Stephen Curry.
Areas of Expertise
Areas of expertise span Indonesian football and Liga 1 data insights and unique features, alongside Southeast Asian and East Asian football landscapes covering Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, Japan, and Korea. Additional skills include digital and social media video content creation such as Instagram reels and podcasts, as well as player profiling, feature writing, live broadcasting, interviewing, photography, and multilingual communication in basic français and español .
Favourite Footballing Memory
Combining a passion for backpacking with professional assignments has made it possible to pursue two goals simultaneously. Meeting and interviewing various Indonesian players pursuing careers or currently based abroad, ranging from across Southeast Asia to Europe, has been an absolute privilege and honor. Traveling independently through the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, France, and Japan to track down and connect with Indonesian players competing abroad remains a truly cherished experience. Crafting interview content with them is a body of work that will always hold a special place in memory.
My All-Time XI
It’s tough to lock down a definitive starting XI, but the non-negotiables are Manuel Neuer or Rogério Ceni in goal; alongside Javier Zanetti, Sergio Ramos, N'Golo Kanté, Toni Kroos, Arjen Robben, Mo Salah, and Zlatan Ibrahimović. Juan Román Riquelme or Michael Laudrup most likely complete the tactical puzzle. While legends like Lothar Matthäus, Zinedine Zidane, and Ronaldo are impossible to overlook, they were left out simply because they feature in everyone else's lineup.
