Spain (National Football)

Isco and Diego Costa are among the players to miss out on places in Luis Enrique's Spain squad to face Norway and Malta in the upcoming UEFA Euro 2020 qualifiers. 

Enrique announced his selection on Friday, which includes Alvaro Morata and Getafe striker Jaime Mata as attacking options:

⚠ OFICIAL | Lista de convocados para los próximos partidos ante Noruega y Malta. ¡Comenzamos nuestro camino hacia la #EURO2020! #UnidosPorUnRETO pic.twitter.com/32xVAzXwtk

— Selección Española Masculina de Fútbol (@SEFutbol) March 15, 2019

ESPN's David Cartlidge was quick to note those absent from the squad, and some new faces:

Omissions from the squad include Isco, Koke, Saúl. Major changes in midfield essentially. Form of Parejo and particularly Canales has been outstanding. pic.twitter.com/Wij8cYzZAG

— David Cartlidge (@davidjaca) March 15, 2019

It is perhaps no surprise that Isco is missing after he fell out of favour at Real Madrid under Santiago Solari.

The Argentinian was relieved of his duties on Monday but gave Isco just 15 appearances during his four-month reign, with only one start.

As for Costa, he is still yet to make an appearance for Spain under Enrique. On this occasion, his fitness could be the cause of his exclusion, though, as he has missed Atletico Madrid's last three matches through injury.

In his place, team-mate Morata has been given the nod having scored three goals and an assist in his last three La Liga matches.

Meanwhile, Mata has been one of La Liga's in-form players, per Spanish football journalist Sid Lowe:

| #LaLiga |

Jaime Mata is on fire 🔥

He has been involved in more goals than any other Spanish player in Europe’s top 5 leagues… pic.twitter.com/DYRQAZ5Kex

— ELEVEN Football (@ElevenSportsFB) March 13, 2019

ESPN's Dermot Corrigan was pleased to see Real Betis' Sergio Canales and Sevilla's Sergi Gomez:

Canales inclusion in Spain squad richly deserved but also Sergi Gómez - been really good for Sevilla this season, even with team's difficult moments

— Dermot Corrigan (@dermotmcorrigan) March 15, 2019

The pair, along with Mata, could make their debuts for La Roja in the upcoming games.

After watching his side lose 3-2 in back-to-back matches against England and Croatia in their final two UEFA Nations League games last year—defeats that saw them miss out on a place in this summer's finals—it seems Enrique was eager to freshen things up with his latest selection.

Should the new players impress and get Spain's European Championship qualifying off to a good start, those left out could find it difficult to get back into the side during the next international break.

Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has suggested former Real Madrid star Iker Casillas is using his media influence to orchestrate a campaign against David De Gea as he tries to return to the Spanish national team.

The Spanish press has been critical of De Gea for some time over his poor form for La Roja, but according to Mourinho, there's more at play.

Per James Ducker of the Telegraph, he explained his theory in his pre-match press conference ahead of United's meeting with Crystal Palance on Saturday.

While he never mentioned Casillas by name, it seemed clear who he meant: "But why criticism in Spain? Do you know? I know. Because there is somebody very powerful that is thinking about jumping [into the Spain team] again, but I think it’s very difficult to jump when you have the best goalkeeper in the world in front of you."

He also said this player was someone he coached at Real Madrid and is trying to force his way back into the national team. Casillas has made no secret of his desire to return for La Roja, per Universo Valdano (h/t Sport)

As explained by Ducker, Casillas and Mourinho have a feud that dates back to their days with Los Blancos, and the bad blood doesn't appear to have disappeared.

The two had another war of words earlier this week:

"It looks like an interview with someone who is at the end of his career."

We love a good war of words...https://t.co/l4QXHIEytB

— Football365 (@F365) November 23, 2018

De Gea has built a reputation as one of the world's best at United, but he has frequently fallen short of expectations with the national team.

He committed a series of blunders ahead of and during the 2018 World Cup in Russia and made another crucial mistake in a recent match against Croatia. Days later, he was dropped for Chelsea's Kepa Arrizabalaga. 

A poll by Madrid-based newspaper AS after the Croatia match said fans of La Roja wanted Casillas to return to the team and go straight into the starting XI ahead of Arrizabalaga and Pau Lopez. Per Marco Gonzalez, De Gea only came in fourth.

The 37-year-old Casillas has reinvented himself since moving to FC Porto, putting up some impressive numbers for the Dragons:

Iker Casillas makes claim for Spain national team recall with more 2018/19 league clean sheets than "La Roja" stoppers: David De Gea, Pau Lopez and Kepa https://t.co/alu7Zca48W pic.twitter.com/wnX9STgqBe

— AS USA (@English_AS) November 13, 2018

Casillas is married to Sara Carbonero, a sports reporter and former TV presenter in Spain. He hasn't featured for the team since Euro 2016, when he backed up De Gea.   

Spain bounced back from two recent defeats to finish the year in winning fashion as they beat Bosnia and Herzegovina 1-0 in a friendly at the Estadio de Gran Canaria on Sunday.

Hours earlier, they were confirmed as second-place finishers in Group A4 of the UEFA Nations League by England's defeat of Croatia, but Luis Enrique's side prevailed in Las Palmas thanks to a 78th-minute goal from debutant Brais Mendez.  

It was hardly a swashbuckling performance from the hosts, who failed to fashion many golden chances despite dominating possession.

But they deserved the victory, and it was a sharp finish from Mendez, who reacted fastest when Isco's shot was parried back into the area. 

               

Spain Must Be More Direct to Fix Struggling Attack

Spain have not enjoyed a great 2018. This time last year, they had eased through qualifying for the 2018 FIFA World Cup and were firmly among the favourites to win it.

On the eve of the Russia tournament, though, Julen Lopetegui was sacked, and they have not looked the same side since.

One of their notable deficiencies at the World Cup was their failure to make the most of all their possession.

It was particularly noticeable as they were knocked out by Russia on penalties in the last 16:

191 - Russia 🇷🇺 have eliminated Spain from the World Cup despite completing only 191 passes in 120 minutes !

Spain 🇪🇸 have completed 1006 passes today, new record for a team since Opta started to collect this data (1966).

Punishment. #ESPRUS #WorldCup pic.twitter.com/MuYvJPaSgl

— OptaJean (@OptaJean) July 1, 2018

They endured the same struggles for much of Sunday's clash. Spain completely dominated the ball, but actual shots on goal were in short supply, particularly in the first half:

Spain possession 73%, goals 0 - chances 0! https://t.co/a525dYrzsH #EspanaBosnia #LaRoja

— Football España (@footballespana_) November 18, 2018

When Spain's players did finally pull the trigger, they did little to trouble Ibrahim Sehic in the Bosnia goal.

Marco Asensio put a free header wide, Isco shot over the bar, Alvaro Morata missed a sitter, and Suso simply couldn't find a finish despite plenty of promising movement.

Finally, in the 78th minute, a slick passing move put Jose Gaya in behind the Bosnia defence, and he pulled back to Isco, who drilled an effort at the goalkeeper.

Sehic made a save but could only parry to substitute Mendez, who made no mistake as he slotted home:

1 - Brais Mendez is the first player to score on his debut for Spain 🇪🇸 since Iago Aspas in November 2016 against England, both as a Celta players. Future. pic.twitter.com/0bWcnEp4jM

— OptaJose (@OptaJose) November 18, 2018

Manager Enrique was heralded for introducing a more direct approach when he won his first three games in charge after his appointment in July.

Spain's goal on Sunday was evidence that they have the ability to be more penetrative, but for much of the evening, it had been a ponderous attacking performance from the hosts.

If Spain are to reestablish their position as one of the world's best sides, the direct approach is the one they must take next year.

                      

What's Next?

For both Spain and Bosnia, Sunday's friendly was their final match of the year. They will both be involved in qualifying for UEFA Euro 2020 when it begins in March 2019. 

A new AS poll has revealed fans of Spain's national football team want Manchester United star David De Gea dropped from the side and replaced with FC Porto's Iker Casillas.

As reported by Marco Gonzalez, over 50 per cent of those polled wanted the national team legend to go straight into the starting XI. Chelsea's Kepa Arrizabalaga received almost 40 per cent of the vote, and Pau Lopez came in at roughly 5 per cent.

De Gea, the current starter, finished fourth with just under 5 per cent after a difficult year in the La Roja shirt. The United star has long been fiercely criticised in his home country for failing to bring the same form he shows in the Premier League, and a series of blunders in 2018 have increased calls to drop him.

He made crucial mistakes in the lead-up to the 2018 FIFA World Cup before gifting Cristiano Ronaldo a goal in the 3-3 against Portugal. That set the tone for a poor World Cup from the former Atletico Madrid man, who still hasn't recovered for the national team. 

He made another crucial mistake on Thursday in the loss to Croatia:

If you’re not watching Croatia-Spain, David De Gea has just handed Croatia a winning goal, literally.

— FootballJOE (@FootballJOE) November 15, 2018

Casillas put even more pressure on the 28-year-old by announcing he's open to a return to the national team setup, per Universo Valdano (h/t Sport). The former Real Madrid man wasn't called up for the World Cup and backed up De Gea throughout Euro 2016, the last major international tournament he played a part in. 

The 2010 world champion and two-time European champion has returned to form at Porto after a difficult end to his spell with Real.

Despite being 37 years old, he continues to put up excellent stats:

Iker Casillas makes claim for Spain national team recall with more 2018/19 league clean sheets than "La Roja" stoppers: David De Gea, Pau Lopez and Kepa https://t.co/alu7Zca48W pic.twitter.com/wnX9STgqBe

— AS USA (@English_AS) November 13, 2018

Arrizabalaga has enjoyed a fine start to the season with Chelsea, further adding to the competition. The former Athletic Bilbao man has been the regular backup to De Gea for some time and has performed admirably when called on, fueling the belief the 24-year-old could be a safer option between the sticks.

Spain lead Nations League Group A4 with one match to play between England and Croatia. Depending on the outcome of that contest, La Roja may move into the final stages of the competition and qualify for Euro 2020 as a result.

If Croatia and England don't draw, La Roja will instead have to go through the normal qualifying process, and if that's the case, manager Luis Enrique will have to figure out his goalkeeping situation in a hurry.

AS' Alfredo Relano named it one of the key questions for the tactician to figure out, and he said of De Gea's form: "I've never seen Spain's goal as badly defended with such frequency as in the team's most recent outings."

Spain will host Bosnia and Herzegovina in a friendly on Sunday.    

Sergio Ramos has withdrawn from Spain's squad to face Bosnia and Herzegovina on Sunday and will return to Real Madrid for treatment on a groin injury. 

Real's captain played 90 minutes against Croatia on Thursday and scored a penalty in Spain's 3-2 UEFA Nations League defeat, but AS reported he'll return to Madrid after playing through his injury in that clash.

The report also referred to injuries recently suffered by Nacho Fernandez and Sergio Reguilon, who will be sidelined for two months and two weeks, respectively. Defenders Raphael Varane, Dani Carvajal, Jesus Vallejo and Marcelo, meanwhile, have returned to training after injury absences.

It's understood Varane, Carvajal, Marcelo and Vallejo will all be fit to feature again after the international break, when Real return to La Liga action with a trip to Eibar on Saturday, November 24.

Rather than risk his fitness in Las Palmas on Sunday, Ramos will focus his energy on returning for future fixtures.

The 32-year-old recently responded to a question regarding the jeers and whistles he's received from his own fans at the Santiago Bernabeu after a poor start this season, via Goal:

Sergio Ramos isn't going to let a few whistles from supports get him down pic.twitter.com/nfaabolt7c

— GOAL (@goal) November 15, 2018

The Eibar match will be Real's first since confirming Santiago Solari as their manager on permanent terms. The former Castilla coach has won four matches in succession since taking charge, during which time Los Blancos have scored 15 goals and conceded only twice.

To contrast that record against predecessor Julen Lopetegui's reign, Real won one of their last seven games in his stead and only managed to score four times in those matches, conceding 13.

Ramos has been an essential cog in Real's success in recent years and must continue that role if they're to regain form this term. The club sit sixth in La Liga but still only four points off leaders Barca approaching Week 12.

The centre-back was heavily criticised after footage showed him elbowing Viktoria Plzen's Milan Havel in their recent UEFA Champions League clash, per TalkSport, but Solari defended his player, via Omnisport:

https://twitter.com/OmnisportNews/status/1061360108851081216

Already, Ramos' performances appear to have improved under Solari, although he's far from the only star who looks better suited to playing under the former Real midfielder.

Spain's stalwart could actually be missed more in attack than defence this Sunday, too, following his recent surge in goals for his country, per Sky Sports Statto:

Sergio Ramos’ last 4 international appearances
v Croatia ⚽️
v Wales ⚽️
v England ⚽️
v Croatia ⚽️ pic.twitter.com/jDfC3WIIV9

— Sky Sports Statto (@SkySportsStatto) November 15, 2018

That form has carried to club level as well, and Ramos has converted penalties in each of Los Blancos' last two league games, against Real Valladolid and Celta Vigo.

Varane's return to fitness will be a particular focus if Ramos' problem persists beyond the international break, with Vallejo now the obvious deputy in Nacho's injury absence.

Spain manager Luis Enrique said he felt "football was unfair" in his team's loss to Croatia in the UEFA Nations League on Thursday.

Croatia earned a dramatic 3-2 win thanks to a Tin Jedvaj brace, with his second goal a stoppage-time winner. Speaking after the game, Enrique said he felt as though the team deserved a positive outcome for their performance, per Football Espana:

"The team deserved more, certainly not a defeat. Their first goal came from a mistake, the second was from a set-piece and their last one was lucky as it came when both teams were going for it.

"Obviously it would've been much better to win. We did some good things in the second half, but they opted to play on the break and not press very high. ...

"We came back twice and deserved something from it. We hit the woodwork and it's incredible that some of our chances didn't go in. I don't think football was fair to us tonight."

A win would have ensured Spain a place in the Nations League finals, but now their fate is out of their hands. They need England and Croatia to draw when they meet at Wembley on Sunday; a win for either side would be enough to put them top of the group.

Spain twice came from behind in Zagreb, with goals from Dani Ceballos and Sergio Ramos cancelling out efforts from Andrej Kramaric and Jedvaj. They had numerous chances to score more times in the second period, with Iago Aspas and Alvaro Morata far too profligate with their opportunities.

In the competition, per Sid Lowe of the Guardian, the Spanish have always been enjoyable to watch:

Spain’s four Nations League games have produced NINETEEN goals. It’s been fun.

— Sid Lowe (@sidlowe) November 15, 2018

However, given they've now conceded six times in their last two Nations League matches, there are clearly issues for Enrique to work on.

Following the international retirement of Gerard Pique, the Spain defence hasn't looked quite as secure, with Enrique struggling to find a successor for the centre-back. In addition, Ramos has also had a challenging start to the season for Real Madrid and has been out of sorts defensively in recent matches.

Spanish football journalist David Cartlidge commented on other areas where Spain appeared vulnerable on the night:

When Iñigo was the best defender for Spain it kinda sums it up really. Did really well covering for a wild Ramos and Sergi Roberto who simply couldn't defend. The sight of Busquets coughing up a lung to get back isn't one you'd expect to still see.

— David Cartlidge (@davidjaca) November 15, 2018

The result was a big one for Croatia, as they would have been disappointed by the way in which they played against Spain previously; the FIFA World Cup finalists were hammered 6-0 in the last meeting between the two teams.

While Croatia and England will fight it out in London, next up for Spain is a friendly with Bosnia-Herzegovina on Sunday in Gran Canaria, where Enrique will look to sort out some of those defensive woes that cost his side on Thursday.

Spain captain Sergio Ramos posted a video on Twitter on Wednesday that appears to show he didn't stamp on Raheem Sterling during his country's match with England.

The incident involving the pair took place in the UEFA Nations League on Monday after Sterling went down after contact on the edge of the box. Ramos then walked in the direction of the Manchester City man, who appeared to be in pain.

However, the Real Madrid icon sought to absolve himself of any wrongdoing by sharing this clip on social media:

🛑🤔🤐
Nada más que decir.
Nothing else to say. pic.twitter.com/BCuQI3n7hT

— Sergio Ramos (@SergioRamos) October 17, 2018

Per Jonathan Spencer of the MailOnline, while the moment is not something that was focused on by broadcasters, fans on social media suggested Ramos had trodden on the England man.

Both players played their part in what was a thrilling game, as the Three Lions eventually won 3-2 at the Estadio Benito Villamarin.

Sterling netted twice in the first half either side of a Marcus Rashford strike to put England 3-0 up at the break. Spain launched a fightback in the second half but were unable to recover parity, despite Ramos' late header cutting the deficit to just one.

Afterwards, the 32-year-old defender had high praise for England, who became the first team to beat La Roja in a competitive home game since 2003:

Are England world class? 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

Sergio Ramos seems to think so! 🙌 pic.twitter.com/xhfuLiLd0t

— Cycling on TNT Sports (@cyclingontnt) October 16, 2018

While Ramos didn't appear to make contact with Sterling in this instance, he is renowned for bending the rules in an attempt to gain an advantage or anger opponents.

As a result, he often finds himself in trouble with officials: 

Sergio Ramos' records...

📕 Most red cards in Real Madrid history.
📕 Most red cards in La Liga history.
📒 Most yellow cards in UCL history. pic.twitter.com/Nsk270wA0X

— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) September 20, 2018

In May, he infuriated Liverpool supporters in the UEFA Champions League final after tangling with Mohamed Salah, who was then forced to leave the game with a shoulder problem. Los Blancos went on to win the match 3-1.

Spain ran out as dominant 4-1 winners against Wales at the Principality Stadium on Thursday evening, where Paco Alcacer scored twice to lead Luis Enrique's men to their third successive victory.  

Alcacer picked up his international scoring form where he left it at club level and netted either side of a Sergio Ramos header to send visitors Spain into a three-goal lead by half-time in Cardiff. Marc Bartra came on to add a fourth for Spain, while Burnley striker Sam Vokes headed in a late consolation for Wales.

Injured Gareth Bale was missed by Ryan Giggs' men as they slumped to a one-sided defeat at home to superior opposition, while Spain's post-2018 FIFA World Cup return to form continues.

       

Alcacer Deserves Spot Ahead of Morata in Spain Pecking Order

Alcacer's decision to leave Barcelona for Borussia Dortmund on loan continued to pay dividends to the forward on Thursday as he showed signs that his rejuvenated club form is impacting his play in Spain colours, too.

It wasn't long ago the former Valencia star was part of the furniture at the Camp Nou, but the opportunity for first-team minutes in Germany have him on course to ruffle a few feathers in Spain's forward line, per Squawka:

Paco Alcácer has had eight shots on target for club & country since joining Borussia Dortmund:

⚽️⚽️⚽️⚽️⚽️⚽️⚽️⚽️

He’s scored with all of them. pic.twitter.com/x3KF2ebOJ7

— Squawka (@Squawka) October 11, 2018

His form has soared while team-mate Alvaro Morata's has slid this year, and the Chelsea forward's record of two goals in seven Premier League appearances this season is far inferior to Alcacer's at Dortmund.

While there's a certain hunger lacking in Morata's play—not to mention he's arguably the far less dynamic asset—Alcacer's first strike against Wales showed his thirst for goals, via Sky Sports (UK only):

He's been on 🔥 for @BVB and now Paco Alcacer is firing for his country!

Spain lead @Cymru early on in Cardiff. 🏟

Watch @Cymru take on Spain at the Principality Stadium live on Sky Sports Football or follow: https://t.co/XOn2wtIT7A pic.twitter.com/eJNLdXBlzf

— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) October 11, 2018

Both players are 25, and if you were asked which would go further in his career up until this year, Morata would have likely won the vast majority of votes. But their trajectories now look to be heading in different directions.

There was little chance of Alcacer breaking into a forward line that contains the likes of Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Ousmane Dembele at Barcelona, but Copa90's A West noted how he's thriving since moving to Germany:

paco alcacer got some freedom to play regularly and now that man refuses to stop scoring again

— Aaron West (@oeste) October 11, 2018

Sportswriter Alexandra Jonson praised Alcacer as one of numerous strikers who are enjoying wildly prolific form in 2018-19:

Piatek
André Silva
Paco Alcácer

What have these guys eaten and how do I get some?

— Alexandra Jonson (@AlexandraJonson) October 11, 2018

In contrast, Morata struggled to test Wales goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey, and it wasn't as though he didn't have his opportunities. It's been the story for much of his 2018 at Chelsea, where he just hasn't looked at his confident best in front of goal.

Diego Costa will likely keep his place as Enrique's leading frontman of choice for some time, but the agile Alcacer has added a scoring streak to his game that should move him ahead of Morata in Spain's pecking order.

        

Saul Emerges as Spain's Midfield Saviour

As if Spanish supporters needed any reminding as to who holds the future keys to their midfield, Saul Niguez again took the game by the horns to lead the visitors in their first-half assault.

Despite being withdrawn for Atletico Madrid team-mate Koke at half-time, Saul made important touches throughout, not least of which was the reflexive pat down for Alcacer to smash home their first.

The 23-year-old was particularly effective teaming up with in-form Alcacer down Spain's left side, and it was likely partly down to his half-time withdrawal that Spain's progress slowed in the second period.

Sportswriter Ben Hayward highlighted the overall quality of Spain's young three-man midfield, which had an average age of only 22: 

Spain's midfield is so good, even without Busquets. Rodri is such a talent, Saúl is already a mainstay for Luis Enrique and Ceballos is important now for club and country after a difficult debut season at Real Madrid. The sky is the limit for this team.

— Ben Hayward (@bghayward) October 11, 2018

Saul has been heavily discussed as one of those players who could succeed Andres Iniesta as the technical master in Spain's core. While any one player would struggle with such expectations, it's clear in Saul's play—his ball retention and ability to keep things ticking under great pressure—where the comparisons emerge. 

Squawka's Muhammad Butt also noticed one superstition that could be a good omen for Spanish fans:

half-time analysis: I'm a big fan of Saúl and Koke mirroring Xavi and Iniesta's 6-to-8 shirt number swap between club and country. #ESP

— Muhammad Butt (@muhammadbutt) October 11, 2018

In a sea of talented Spanish midfielders, Saul nevertheless stands a cut above the rest, combing composed play with injections of pace when they're needed, akin to a certain Furia Roja legend.

        

What's Next?

Both teams will be in UEFA Nations League action next time they're back on the field, with Spain set to host England in Seville on Monday before Wales travel to face the Republic of Ireland on Tuesday.

Spain manager Luis Enrique has said there is no "taboo" when it comes to former club Barcelona after Jordi Alba was left out of his most recent squad.

The national team's Twitter account relayed the 23-man group for the upcoming matches against England and Wales:

Official call-up for upcoming @SeFutbol matches:

📅 11/10 Wales - Spain
📅 15/10 Spain - England pic.twitter.com/LRgdKV6gkH

— Selección Española Masculina de Fútbol (@SEFutbol) October 4, 2018

Alba, rated as one of the best left-backs in world football, has now been left out of two squads in succession by Enrique, with Sergio Busquets the only player from the Blaugrana to make the cut.

Speaking about the decision, the La Roja boss made it clear all the choices he made were based on sporting reasons only, per Miguel Angel Lara of Marca.

"I will not talk about those that are not here, it is not a taboo but I am not going to talk about those who aren't here," he said when asked about Alba. "This is all more to do with the press, no one in the street asks me these things. People want Spain to win, we have a 23-man squad which is my team and it is not about clubs."  

The decision from Enrique to leave Alba out is definitely a curious one, as the former Valencia man was a vital player for the coach during their time together at Barcelona, helping the team win the UEFA Champions League, two La Liga prizes and three Copas del Rey in their spell together.

Alba continues to impress for his club, too, and was especially effective on Wednesday night as Barcelona secured a memorable 4-2 win over Tottenham Hotspur in the UEFA Champions League:

02': 🅰️
56': 🅰️
90': 🅰️

Jordi Alba is the first player to record a hat-trick of assists in a single game in the Champions League this season. pic.twitter.com/hbDTh8vKHG

— Squawka (@Squawka) October 3, 2018

Enrique has catered for a number of left-backs in the squad, including Valencia's Jose Gaya and Chelsea's Marcos Alonso. He has also called up Wolverhampton Wanderers man Jonny Otto for the first time, who has excelled in a more advanced role for the Premier League outfit as a wing-back.

With so many options in the position, the suggestion that Alba has been left out for sporting reasons is at least questionable, as he has been a mainstay for Spain and Barcelona for many years.

As relayed by Adriana Garcia of ESPN FC, there were reports in Spain that said Enrique and Alba did having a falling out during their time working together with the Catalan club.

While Alba will no doubt be disappointed at not getting the chance to represent his country, the TalkFCB Twitter account believes the decision will ultimately be to the benefit of his club side:

Jordi Alba is not selected for Spain once again by Luis Enrique... And after seeing what a rested, motivated Alba is capable of this season, I'm not disappointed in the slightest.

— TalkFCB (@FCBNewsRoom) October 4, 2018

The 29-year-old has certainly started the season well. In recent years, there have been oscillations in form from the left-back, but in a campaign of inconsistency for the team so far, Alba has been one of the standout players.

Following the sale of Lucas Digne to Everton this summer, Barcelona don't have a natural replacement in the left-back slot, meaning Alba will have to get through a heavy workload. No international football should help him in that regard.

Enrique will point to the results the team are getting as justification for his decisions, as Spain have looked rejuvenated under his watch.

After beating England 2-1 at Wembley Stadium in his first match in charge, they hammered FIFA World Cup finalists Croatia 6-0 in their previous outing. Both wins secured them a place at the top of Group 4 in League A of the UEFA Nations League.

Spain moved six points clear at the top of their Nations League group on Tuesday after mauling 2018 FIFA World Cup runners-up Croatia 6-0 at the Estadio Manuel Martinez Valero in Elche.

A Saul Niguez header opened the scoring before Marco Asensio belted one in from range and forced an own goal upon Croatia goalkeeper Lovre Kalinic. Rodrigo Moreno made it 4-0 soon after the restart, captain Sergio Ramos headed in a fifth near the hour mark, and his Real Madrid team-mate Isco drove in the sixth.

The result marks Croatia's heaviest-ever defeat and their first time conceding five goals since they lost 5-1 to England in 2009. Zlatko Dalic's side now sit bottom of Group 4 in League A, below England on goal difference.

        

Lopetegui Deserves Credit for Asensio Returning to Golden Boy Form

It seems almost no surprise given his history of improving Spanish youngsters that Julen Lopetegui should have a hand in restoring Asensio to his best this season, which was on show for all to see in Elche on Tuesday. A display comprising one goal, three assists and one forced own goal saw to that.

Cristiano Ronaldo's departure for Juventus created a gap on Real's flanks, and Lopetegui has left little to interpretation in who he wants to fill it, starting Asensio on the left flank in all three La Liga games so far this season.

Asensio has restored the faith with five assists in those outings, and sportswriter Euan McTear couldn't help but notice the renewed confidence appears to be aiding his international production:

Asensio. No goals in his first 15 Spain games. Then, like buses, two at once.

— Euan McTear (@emctear) September 11, 2018

Journalist Ben Hayward more explicitly lauded Lopetegui's hand in helping the 22-year-old, who didn't quite have the successful 2017-18 he might have hoped for after exploding onto the scene the campaign before:

Ceballos and Asensio are going to get a lot more playing time at Real Madrid this season and that can only be good for Spain. Lopetegui, despite the nature of his exit, might end up doing La Roja a favour after all...

— Ben Hayward (@bghayward) September 11, 2018

Tuesday's performance reminded us more of the player who was once nominated for the 2016 Golden Boy award and who has previously shown such an affinity for stepping up to the big occasion.

Although there were many others in gleaming form against a vulnerable Croatia, Asensio sparkled brightest and forced his goals at a time when the game was still close-run. ESPN's Richard Martin summed up the kind of one-man-army impact he was having:

Harry Redknapp would have loved to have coached Asensio. His tactical plan would be pleasingly simple: "Give it Marco"

— Richard Martin (@RichMartinMcr) September 11, 2018

However, Spanish football writer David Cartlidge argued another of Real's up-and-comers was the more essential cog:

To have the personality and confidence to run a game like Ceballos has, when he's essentially had a year off. Special, special guy.

— David Cartlidge (@davidjaca) September 11, 2018

The evidence seems clear that not only is Asensio set to be an even more vital component for Los Blancos at club level this season, but his importance to Luis Enrique's Spain side also looks set to undergo an upgrade.

       

Saul the Obvious Candidate to Fill Iniesta's Boots

The round-of-16 exit at the World Cup this summer was a glum result for Spain, not only because it served as a sour note on which Andres Iniesta ended his career, but also because it left more alarms than ever as to who would replace him.

Concerns are not new regarding who will carry the midfield torch left by Iniesta and his old Barcelona team-mate Xavi, but there should no longer be a question that Atletico terrier Saul is the right man to do so.

It takes a special kind of leader to be the man first on the scoresheet, especially as a midfielder, but for the second game in succession, Saul was on hand to get Spain off the mark when they needed it on Tuesday, via Sky Sports Football (UK only):

"Saul has arrived!" 🔥

Spain have taken the lead against Croatia in their UEFA Nations League clash, live on Sky Sports PL now!

Follow: https://t.co/clJVViZ96k pic.twitter.com/FvB01w2ZoP

— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) September 11, 2018

And fittingly so, it was the kind of goal that the Spain of 10 or so years ago once thrived upon. Italian journalist Tancredi Palmeri noted the long, patient buildup required before Saul popped up on the end of a pinpoint Dani Carvajal cross to finish; it even looked like the kind of goal Iniesta would have bagged himself:

The 68 consecutive seconds of ball possession and 19 passes from Spain that lead to Saul goal v Croatia.

Great building up, great Luis Enrique, but especially a superior players’ technique.
That’s how you build football: teaching to kids to play the balk, not to win games pic.twitter.com/qeSAx7hrO3

— Tancredi Palmeri (@tancredipalmeri) September 11, 2018

Saul levelled after a Marcus Rashford opener in Saturday's 2-1 win over England but was first to the mark on Tuesday. And though he's been moulded in Madrid—Saul spent two years in Real's academy before joining Atletico—he continues to display all the signs that he is this generation's Iniesta.

Twitter user Kyle Newby praised the Spanish grassroots system and its ability to keep producing such magnificent talents:

Spain just proving you need grassroots, No Iniesta no Xavi but comes up Isco, Asensio, Saul, It’s a joke the amount off players they create

— Jordan Ky (@JordanKyAVFC) September 11, 2018

Against England it was Sergio Busquets and Thiago Alcantara, a defensive force and a creative weapon, who Saul dazzled. Busquets started again on Tuesday, except it was Dani Ceballos who took Thiago's place as the creative linchpin.

There's refinement to be done yet, however—Saul's pass completion of 88 per cent was the lowest of Spain's midfielders, per WhoScored.com—but his ability for grasping the big moment sets him apart from his compatriots.

        

Croatia's Defensive Deficiencies Will See Them Struggle in Tough Group 4

The hangover effect of a successful World Cup is something of a curse in football, but Croatia paid the price on Tuesday largely down to a selection of key defensive mishaps.

There was little avoiding Saul's opener, the result of near-unstoppable Spanish buildup at its best, but the failure to quickly close down Asensio for the hosts' second put the onus squarely on Dalic's men.

If Croatia were to blame for Asensio's goal, then the reluctance to stop the same star winding up on his left minutes later was criminal, enticing the long-range specialist to unleash one of his most lethal weapons:

2 goals in 2 minutes for Spain! ⏰

It may go down as an own-goal, but what an effort from Marco Asensio to make it 3-0...🔥🔥🔥

Watch live on Sky Sports PL now!

Follow: https://t.co/clJVVjgKuU pic.twitter.com/nMeE2aLFpF

— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) September 11, 2018

Dejan Lovren is Croatia's best option at centre-back but was missing for Tuesday's clash, replaced by Club Brugge defender Matej Mitrovic, 24, who looked out of sorts alongside Domagoj Vida.

Cork City forward Graham Cummins joked the result may have been different were Lovren present:

Seems Lovern wasn’t wrong when he said he was one of the best defenders in the world judging on the Spain v Croatia score

— Graham Cummins (@grahamcummins29) September 11, 2018

Next month's meeting with England is now all the more crucial for Croatia if they're to top Group 4, having suffered a major setback in terms of goal difference in Elche.

If The Three Lions are able to expose Croatia's defensive demons as routinely as Spain did, the World Cup runners-up will be looking back on their Russia journey as an all-too-distant memory.

                  

What's Next?

Spain will be in friendly action against Wales when next they're in action on October 11, which is the day before Croatia are set to host England at the Stadion Rujevica in Rijeka.