The left back position is the one that gives the most headaches. Luis de la Fuente this season. The Spanish coach has several names on the list for a position left vacant since Jordi Alba decided to leave La Roja after lifting the UEFA Nations League a year ago in Rotterdam.
The defender from l’Hospitalet de Llobregat went to Miami to finish his career. But despite this, the coach was tempted to convince him to play in the Euro Cup even though he was playing in MLS, especially after Alejandro Balde’s injury. And won’t Leo Messi or Luis Suárez, his teammates at Inter, compete in the Copa América? But Jordi Alba He has turned the page, he has closed his international stage so it is time to face his replacement in the left lane.
This time they won the casting Alejandro Grimaldo (28 years old) and Marc Cucurella (25), two youth players of FC Barcelona. Despite this, as MD found out, the coach’s intention was to get José Gayà, who he surprisingly left out of the list for the Nations League Final Four. Then he preferred Juan Bernat, and later, when the former PSG player, now at Benfica, was injured, the Riojan coach stayed with Fran García. This time, as in the World Cup, injuries left the Ché captain without another major competition.
From the origin He has many names listed for left back, of which three predominate: the two selected and Gayà ahead of Fran García or Miguel Gutiérrez, two of those who are also on the shortlist. The Valencian player has the most defensive profile of the three and that could give him a certain advantage, while Grimaldo and Cucurella They stand out more for their attacking potential.
Especially with Bayer Leverkusen, who came with amazing offensive numbers. He scored 12 goals and provided 19 assists for the German champions this season. Of course, the question is knowing how he will deal with going from a line of 5 while Xabi Alonso designs in one of the four. “I have played in a four-man defense all my life and I have also put up very good numbers. The full-backs now have to contribute offensively, whether it’s four or five at the back,” he said. Grimaldo during the Media Day organized in Las Rozas. He also spoke about Jordi Alba. “He is a reference for me because he has a mark of history for Barcelona and the national team. “I always notice him,” he admitted.
Cucurella He also learned from Alba during his time at Barcelona. In fact, in an interview given to ‘La Vanguardia’ before going to the last Olympic Games, certainly De la Fuente as coach, he emphasized that “he is the best left there” and added: “In my short time that spent With him, I paid a lot of attention. Cucu started with the advantage that he was an old acquaintance of the coach, which he already had in the youth teams. Furthermore, even he did not count for Chelsea at the beginning of season, he finished very well with Pochettino, being named the MVP of the match from time to time. And in the defense of the four, as in the national team. Of course, his offensive numbers are not as good as his teammate: one goal and two assists in 26 games.
Source: La Verdad
I am Shawn Partain, a journalist and content creator working for the Today Times Live. I specialize in sports journalism, writing articles that cover major sporting events and news stories. With a passion for storytelling and an eye for detail, I strive to be accurate and insightful in my work.
