Barcelona’s 17-year-old star has earned a call-up to Spain’s squad for the upcoming Nations League matches, while the club’s sporting director, Deco, has praised the performances of a key defender in recent meetings. Additionally, the club is set to welcome back an important long-term absentee, with Andreas Christensen expected to return to action in December after a lengthy Achilles injury layoff.
Barcelona Teen Gets Spain Call-Up for Nations League
Barcelona teen Pau Cubarsi receives a call-up from Spain for the UEFA Nations League games against Denmark and Switzerland.
Cubarsi was initially omitted from La Roja’s squad, which was first announced by manager Luis de la Fuente, who selected four Barça players: Pedri, Lamine Yamal, Marc Casado, and Dani Olmo.
However, Yamal was forced to withdraw from the squad due to an injury he sustained last week.
Cubarsi has now been added to the squad, replacing Pau Torres, as the 17-year-old centre-back takes the place of the injured Aston Villa defender.
There were speculations that Iñigo Martínez, in outstanding form this season, could be called up to replace Torres.
However, De la Fuente has opted to call up Cubarsi to the senior national team, and he will join the squad later today.
Barcelona Director Praises Defender’s Performances in Meeting
Barcelona’s sporting director, Deco, is focused on securing contract renewals for Pedri, Gavi, Ronald Araujo, Lamine Yamal, and others.
In addition to the youngsters, Deco is also reportedly negotiating with star defender Iñigo Martínez, who has been a key leader in the defense under Hansi Flick.
According to SPORT, Deco met with the veteran’s agent last Saturday to express his satisfaction with the player’s performances and initiate renewal talks.
An Existing Clause
The report details a specific clause in Martínez’s contract with Barcelona, which expires next June.
Although the player is in the final months of his current contract, a clause stipulates that he will receive a one-year automatic extension if he plays at least 60% of Barcelona’s matches, with a minimum of 45 minutes per game.
So far, he has featured in 16 games for Barcelona this season, starting each one and playing over 45 minutes in every match.
If Barcelona plays a maximum of 61 games this season, he would need to appear in 37 matches for the automatic clause to be activated.
Given his current form and established role as a regular starter, the likelihood of triggering the clause seems quite high.
Deco’s meeting with the agent further confirms the club’s satisfaction with his performance and consistency, assuring that he will keep his spot as long as he remains fit and maintains his high level of play.
Given the current situation, even with the returns of Ronald Araujo and Andreas Christensen, their presence won’t jeopardize his position in Flick’s plans. The duo will need to earn their way back into the lineup.
Barcelona’s Long-Term Injury Absentee Set to Return in December
La Liga giants Barcelona are expected to have Andreas Christensen available for selection starting next month.
According to Diario Sport, who provided an update on the situation on Wednesday.
Christensen has only played once this season, making an appearance against Valencia in August.
Since then, the former Chelsea defender has been receiving treatment for a persistent Achilles problem, which has recently led to tendinopathy.
Recent reports had hinted that Barcelona fans might not see Christensen return to the pitch before the new year.
However, if Wednesday’s latest reports are to be believed, a return before the new year could indeed be a real possibility.
According to a report from Sport, the expectation is that the 28-year-old will be cleared to join team activities in Barcelona in about two weeks.
Following that, he would gradually reintegrate into the team, with his competitive return expected sometime in December.
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