Congratulations Pablo Gavira. Another Cule, who has been called up to the Spanish National team. However, won’t you be interested in knowing the justification for his selection and another good question to be asked is how is this helping the club move out of the crisis it is in ?
Spain head coach Luis Enrique gives a press conference after the 2022 FIFA World Cup Qualifier match between Sweden and Spain at Friends Arena on September 2, 2021 in Stockholm, Sweden. (Photo by Michael Campanella/Getty Images)
As Barcelona continue to struggle for form, the big news at the club is now Pablo Gavira receiving a call up to the Spanish National Team, creating a notion amongst fans that the players are ready to take the club to the next level.
17year old Midfielder, Gavi, who was recently promoted from the Barcelona B side has been called up for the October international games by manager Luis Enrique, joining Sergio Busquests, Eric Garcia and Pedri Gonzalez to make four Barcelona players in the squad.
The young Midfielder has played under 300 minutes of first team football for a side that has been below their best this season. What merit would you base the selection of such a player ?
Already tasked with producing elite results using players who should still be learning the trade in the Academy, Ronald Koeman’s job is not made any easier by these selections as it will only birth conviction amongst the fans that the players performances have earned them the call-up.
The status of Pedri in the Nation Team is also a major concern for Barcelona. The Midfielder even though a decent player is not technically special but the hype and status are getting fans carried away, raising a lot of questions off the manager as to why the club is not delivering.
Eric Garcia is also looking like a regular in the National Team backline. A player who never convince to be a starter for Manchester City before joining Barcelona on a free transfer, and has made a horrendous start for the Catalan giants.
The defender made just four appearances for Barcelona, getting sent off on two occasions but then gets called up to the National Team every now and then, when there are better options to select from in the local league and abroad.
These selections and call-up are but distractions from the club as it only distracts then on where to start addressing their flaws when they have their players joining with one of the best National Teams in the world every international break.
Questions have been asked of Enrique’s selections in the past and the recently released squad will not be short of criticism as a lot of performing players continue to miss out, and the selection contains no traditional striker.
Napoli Midfielder, Fabian Ruiz has also been left out. The player has been in sensational form this season helping his side to the top of the standings in Italy. Athletic Club striker Inaki William also awaits another call-up to the National Team since 2016.
AC Milan forward Brahim Diaz has apparently not done enough to get a call-up by the former Barcelona manager.
Afolabi Kehinde Hassan
