Ferran Torres was the star of Spain’s win against Albania. The Barça forward was named MVP and the top scorer for La Roja. Once again, the Valencian showed his best form with Spain. He is a reliable player, which is why the Royal Spanish Football Federation has been trying to persuade Ferran Torres to join the Olympic team as one of the three players over 23 years old allowed by the competition rules, which is a U-23 tournament for men. Coach Santi Denia will announce the official list on Tuesday, the 26th, and the team will gather in Las Rozas on July 1.
However, Torres has been crucial for Luis de la Fuente’s squad. It would have been a different story if he had barely played in the Euro Cup, but the Barça forward has been a key player in all three games so far. Therefore, it seems unlikely that he will be part of the team representing Spain in Paris.
Additionally, Ferran is a player who likes to prepare thoroughly for his professional challenges. After a long season, combining the Euro Cup and the Olympic Games would leave him with no time to rest or recharge. Moreover, the Foios native is determined to stay at Barcelona and aims to impress Hansi Flick, just like he did with Xavi Hernández last year. He wants to play a significant role at Barça and that includes winning over the new coach from the get-go.
Baena and Fermín, with chances to participate again
Apart from Ferran Torres, two other players who have a good chance of featuring in both tournaments this summer are Fermín López and Alex Baena. Baena is the 26th player in De la Fuente’s squad, and the Andalusian has expressed his desire to go to the Games after his debut in the Euro against Albania. On the other hand, Villarreal expects their midfielder to stay with the team until the end of the Olympic tournament.
The player who appears to have avoided playing two matches in a row is Lamine Yamal. He will take a break after the Euro Cup to concentrate on Barcelona. It also looks like Nico Williams, another player with a heavy workload, won’t be joining the team. However, he will be included in Santi Denia Pau Cubarsí’s list, as he was ruled out of the Euro Cup at the last minute.
This content has been translated and adapted from the Spanish version of the digital newspaper
