Spain boss Luis de la Fuente plays down Eric Garcia injury fears
Luis de la Fuente has provided an optimistic update on Eric Garcia after the Barcelona defender withdrew from Spain's clash with England due to knee discomfort.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 4.0 / Author: Sport Lisboa e Benfica
Defender Eric Garcia faced a frustrating evening at Wembley Stadium as he was withdrawn from the Spain starting line-up moments before their Nations League clash with England. The player experienced discomfort in his left knee during the warm-up, forcing the coaching staff to bring in Marc Pubill as a late replacement.
Following Spain’s 3-2 victory, manager Luis de la Fuente offered a positive assessment of the situation, noting that the withdrawal was primarily a precautionary measure to avoid unnecessary risk.
He’s had a minor issue—it doesn’t look serious. We’ll assess whether he can recover once we get back to Madrid, but only if there is absolutely no risk to the player. Luis de la Fuente
Uncertainty persists regarding Garcia's availability for the upcoming Nations League matches against Croatia and Czechia. De la Fuente indicated that he would not hesitate to call up a replacement if the defender fails to return to full fitness in the coming days.
Meanwhile, the medical team at Barcelona is monitoring the situation closely. With a busy schedule of La Liga and Champions League matches looming in October, Hansi Flick is eager to keep his defensive options intact, as Garcia has become an increasingly vital tactical component for the German manager.