In brief
Xinhua reports that Spain’s coach Luis de la Fuente has added Victor Munoz and promoted Jorge de Frutos to fill gaps left by injured Lamine Yamal and Mikel Oyarzabal; England loses defender Marc Guehi but brings in Dan Burn. The swaps ahead of matches against Czech Republic and England could shape group standings.
According to Xinhua, Spain’s head coach Luis de la Fuente has made last‑minute adjustments to his squad for the upcoming UEFA Nations League encounters against the Czech Republic and England, after key attack options Lamine Yamal and Mikel Oyarzabal slipped from the lineup due to injury and illness.
RFEF confirmation came on Monday, when the federation announced that Liverpool winger Victor Munoz received a call‑up, just hours after Rayo Vallecano forward Jorge de Frutos was confirmed as a replacement for the sidelined Real Sociedad midfielder Ander Barrenetxea. Both new inclusions arrive in a squad that has already been shaken by Oyarzabal’s positive flu test, which kept him in San Sebastián instead of travelling to the training camp.
De la Fuente will field a team that missed the option to include Barcelona forward Lamine Yamal. The French‑born winger suffered a discomfort in his right knee during Barcelona’s 2‑1 win over Atletico Madrid on Sunday, prompting him to delay his arrival at the camp and to be officially omitted from the squad that will travel to the Czech Republic on November 12.
The injuries open a door for Munoz to contribute to Spain’s attack, as he brings a winger’s pace and inside‑cutting ability to the side’s creative hub. De Frutos, meanwhile, steps into the midfield, a role that has become crucial after the unexpected exit of Barrenetxea from the touring party.
Meanwhile, England’s preparation has been affected by a hip injury to defender Marc Guehi, who withdrew from Manchester City’s squad. Newcastle United’s Dan Burn has been named as his replacement, according to Xinhua’s briefing of the squad changes.
Both associations aim to keep the squads competitive despite the setbacks. With the match against England potentially deciding which side finishes top of their qualifying group, the altered lineups could carry significant consequences for how points are distributed among the finalists.
Spain’s upcoming match in the Czech Republic could see de la Fuente testing the resilience of his new lineup against a Czech side that has been praised for its disciplined defensive structures. The adjustments, especially the loss of Yamal’s right‑knee stamina, mean that the Spanish team’s creative options may be more limited in the tackle‑heavy games ahead.
England, on the other hand, will carry the weight of a centre‑back rotation with Dan Burn. Although his versatility is widely regarded, the change will affect the team’s defensive coherence on the back line, as the squad had been braced for a robust partnership under Guehi’s leadership.
Both matchups carry the potential to tilt the group’s final standings. Spain looks to secure the group lead while England seeks to finish at the top of their own bracket, and the modifications to the squads highlight the fine margins that can pivot seasonal fortunes for national teams engaged in Europe’s most dynamic competitions.
