Ferran Torres has withdrawn from the Spain squad ahead of UEFA Nations League fixtures against the Czech Republic and Croatia due to lingering pain in his left ankle, prompting manager Luis de la Fuente to call up Real Madrid forward Carlos Espí from the under-21 team. The Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) announced the squad change following persistent discomfort in the Paris Saint-Germain attacker’s joint.
“The Valencian international from PSG was carrying discomfort in his left ankle that initially did not prevent him from training and playing, but given the persistence of the symptomatology, it was decided to uncall the player to prioritize his recovery.” RFEF doctors maintained permanent contact with PSG medical staff from the start of the international window.
The absence of Torres marks the fifth squad withdrawal for De la Fuente during this international break.
Carlos Espí Earns First Senior Call-Up Following Five-Goal Performance
Carlos Espí steps into the senior squad directly from the under-21 team, where he scored five goals in a 13-0 rout of San Marino on Thursday, according to ABC. The young forward, recently signed by Real Madrid from Levante, joins a forward line that features Mikel Oyarzabal and fellow newcomer Roberto Fernández.
Espí could make his senior international debut during upcoming Nations League fixtures. Spain faces the Czech Republic on Saturday at 20:45 local time (18:45 UTC) in Oviedo, before traveling to Split to play Croatia on Tuesday at the same hour.
Unlike the vacancy left by Nico Williams—whom De la Fuente chose not to replace amid competition from Álex Baena—the coaching staff opted to bring in Espí to maintain attacking depth.
A Mounting Injury Toll Forces Defensive and Tactical Adjustments
Spain’s preparations for the Nations League fixtures have faced persistent roster disruption. Pedro Porro missed the initial meetup and was replaced by under-21 player Iván Fresneda, though Marc Pubill ultimately claimed the right-back spot, playing every minute against England and Croatia while scoring a header against the latter.
Alejandro Grimaldo then experienced discomfort during the warm-up prior to the Croatia match. Guided by a risk-zero protocol regarding player health, the technical staff recalled Real Betis defender Fran García after a three-year absence.
Spain enters the third fixture of the current four-match block sitting alongside other recent squad additions like Marc Cucurella and Dean Huijsen, filling out a group aiming to consolidate position in the tournament standings.
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