While the veteran stars missed out, Barcelona’s Joan Garcia earned a shock call-up, expanding the goalkeeping department to four players. De la Fuente dismissed claims that this would unsettle established names like Unai Simon and David Raya, insisting that Garcia’s inclusion was a tactical move for the long-term tournament cycle.
"Rules are made to be broken," he added. "He’s a great goalkeeper, we didn’t just discover that; he’s been an under-21 international for five years. He can contribute to a positive team dynamic, a strong work ethic, teamwork, and the ability to push others… Today we felt it was the right time for him to join us. The best news is that we have so many players to choose from.
"I don’t understand it. It’s great news that we’re having trouble choosing players. There’s no debate about it; you all are creating that. Zero pressure, and we’re bringing in what we need to bring in. We’ll always be professional and honest. They’re saying, ‘What a problem for De la Fuente now, having to call up Joan García’… Can anyone believe I would have been happy about Joan García’s injury, as some are saying? I haven’t been any braver for bringing in three or four players; we brought them in because it was the most appropriate thing to do."