Pedri’s Injury Not Linked to National Team Duties

The technical officials of the Federation, consulted by Prensa Ibérica, deny any connection between the Tenerife player’s physical issues and his summer of 2021. They understand that nobody should be alarmed by the promotion of Lamine and Cubarsí to the senior team because “they are following a natural progression.” The call-up for Lamine Yamal and Pau Cubarsí was by no means a whim of Luis de la Fuente. The Riojan coach always prioritizes the well-being of his players and would never jeopardize their physical integrity. The Federation is tired of comments attributing Pedri’s accumulation of injuries in the summer of 2021 to his participation in the Eurocup and the Olympic Games at the age of 18. It has been three years since then, the player has strictly followed all medical guidelines, and sources consulted by Prensa Ibérica deny that the recent setbacks have anything to do with his exertions in 2021. “Pedri is not injured because of the national team,” emphasize those in charge from Las Rozas. Therefore, the Federation has continued to call up young players when they have seen that they deserved to be with the senior team. This is the case with Lamine Yamal and Pau Cubarsí. Lamine made his debut at 16, and De la Fuente carefully monitored his minutes to avoid overexertion. He even prioritized the player’s minor discomfort before playing two crucial matches against Scotland and Norway for the 2024 Eurocup and withdrew him from the squad. The Barcelona winger is undergoing a carefully calculated physical evolution. Both Xavi Hernández’s and De la Fuente’s staff have worked to ensure that his physique, still in the developmental phase, undergoes appropriate loads. In the case of Pau Cubarsí, he is a much more physically developed player. Standing at 1.84 m, he defends much better as a central defender due to his good tactical positioning rather than his physical stature. Not Halting Progress At the Federation, they believe that both Lamine and Pau “are following a natural progression.” Their footballing ability and condition allow them to play at the highest level, and there should be no barriers to their progress. Just as Marc Guiu and Héctor Fort, with much less prominence in Barcelona’s first team, are progressing according to their age in the under-19 national team, it is considered that Lamine Yamal and Pau Cubarsí belong in the senior squad.