The Madrid man, a starter in eight of La Roja’s last nine appearances and an increasingly prominent figure, has his future in the air
Luis Enrique was asked in Geneva on Thursday prior to the Spain-Switzerland game if he was concerned that there were a dozen internationals whose immediate professional horizons were in the air. “I don’t even know which ten players have no contract. And if so, how lucky are they, because they will be able to determine their future. In their career, they will rarely be in that situation. In my career, I was only once I don’t even know who they are,” said the man from Gijon, emphasizing that he saw his entire pack as “hyper-concentrated and hyper-prepared.” Among those footballers for whom uncertainty doesn’t seem to matter is Pablo Sarabia. Author of the goal against the Swiss bloc that marked the Spanish team’s first win in this third edition of the League of Nations, the Madrid forward continues to advance his status within the national team as he faces another crossroads in his career.
The former Real Madrid youth squad has just signed a spectacular campaign into the ranks of Sporting de Portugal, a team he joined last summer in search of the continuity needed to ensure his presence at the World Cup in Qatar. Something that seemed impossible at PSG, where the presence of three stars of the caliber of Mbappe, Neymar and Messi blocked the options he had to play a starring role.
A brave bet from Sarabia that has been more than rewarded. The attacker has scored 21 goals and provided 9 assists in the 45 games he played for the Lisbon team this season, where he was eventually loaned out. The lions would of course like to continue to use your services. The footballer wouldn’t look too bad either if he continues his career in Portugal, where he has recorded one of the highest peaks of performance in his long career. But he still has a one-year contract with PSG, his €13 million gross salary is unaffordable to the Portuguese squad’s coffers and many ‘girlfriends’ are knocking on the door.
Because alongside these outstanding performances with Sporting de Portugal comes Sarabia’s explosion with the Spanish team, to the point of becoming one of Luis Enrique’s favorite footballers. The Asturian surprised many when he put him on the list for the last European Championship because despite having already taken the alternative as an international with Robert Moreno in September 2019, he had been out of the national team for almost two years and there were only a few few who gave them credits to be among the chosen ones for the multisite tournament. “It was a happy day and I think it was the key in my career,” he still recognized at the Stade de Genève about that phone call Sarabia, who took his chance and conquered Lucho, who already has him as a permanent fixture in his plans. has.
Since then, he has not missed a single call-up and has started eight of the team’s last nine games, the sole exception being the friendly between Spain and Iceland at Riazor at the end of March, where he replaced Dani Olmo in minute 59 of the clash. . Plenty of time to sign his first international double, after two assists from Marcos Alonso. Only Unai Simón and Gavi started as often as Sarabia in that competition period.
His work ability and versatility have transformed him into an excellent asset to Luis Enrique, who also benefits greatly from the sense of smell of a footballer who runs like clockwork. In his last four appearances, Sarabia has scored as many goals: three goals and an assist. But there’s more. Since breaking back into the national team in June last year, no one has seen the door as often as the Madrid man, author of seven goals and two decisive deliveries that make him La Roja’s most prolific forward in those 12 months.
“I go through moments where I have gained experience, but I want to keep learning. Every day I try to get better and enjoy this,” Sarabia said at the end of the match against Switzerland, insisting that he will not analyze his next steps until Sunday’s dispute with the Czech Republic in La Rosaleda. “The decision will be very well thought out,” clarified a player who does not lose sight of teams in the League, such as Sevilla, where he completed three brilliant campaigns that served as a springboard for PSG, or Atlético, who consider him a great wild card for Simeon.
Source: La Verdad
I’m an experienced news author and editor based in New York City. I specialize in covering healthcare news stories for Today Times Live, helping to keep readers informed on the latest developments related to the industry. I have a deep understanding of medical topics, including emerging treatments and drugs, the changing laws that regulate healthcare providers, and other matters that affect public health.
