Spanish coach Luis de la Fuente responds to criticism over Gavi’s injury

• Luis de la Fuente has responded to criticism over Gavi’s injury.
• Gavi tore his ACL during the Spain vs. Georgia match.
• De la Fuente said that he informed Barcelona coach Xavi of his regrets.

Head coach of the Spanish national team Luis de la Fuente addressed the criticism he has been subjected to since midfielder Pablo Gavi of FC Barcelona tore his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) during the Spain vs. Georgia UEFA Euro 2024 Qualifiers match.

Fuente, who took over as Spain’s coach last year, expressed his dislike of clubs trying to meddle in the national team’s preparation and disclaimed any responsibility for Gavi’s untimely injury.

“Gavi was not asked to miss Barcelona’s final match against Spain. I don’t like it when they meddle in the clubs, just as I don’t. De La Fuente told a radio channel, “We thought he would play 45 minutes against Georgia.

De La Fuente made it clear that the match against Georgia was not merely a formality and that the players needed to be in peak physical condition to represent their country, even if Spain had already qualified for the European championship.

“Gavi’s injury? Whoever thinks this match was a formality is wrong. You always have to be in the best shape and have the honor of representing your country. I informed Xavi of my regrets about the injury.

“He is very loved. He saw that I had a bad time and he calmed me down. I had a very bad time. I didn’t care about the result,” he added.

He emphasized that due to the size of the squad and the number of games played, players are best rested while they are at the club. He further stated that the players are not accountable for anything that occurs to them while there is an international break since they want to represent their country.

“The place where a player has the greatest opportunity to rest is when he is with his club because he plays 40 matches

“The footballer always wants to play. That’s why I say that the national team is not responsible for anything. The calendar is what it is,” he said.

It should be mentioned that the club acknowledged in a short press release that Gavi had a complete ACL injury, which will prevent him from playing for seven to nine months.

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