Sergio Ramos is leader but Spain need players who can give 120% when needed, admits Luis Garcia
Sergio Ramos is missing a major tournament for the first time since his international career
|Luis Garcia has expressed his reservations regarding the dropping of Real Madrid’s Sergio Ramos from the Spanish squad, but adjudged it as the right thing to do owing to his injury issues. The centre back misses out after the 35-year-old endured an injury-prone season with Real Madrid.
Sergio Ramos has always been the fulcrum for the Spanish squad with the defender's presence key to their success in the past. Almost carrying a rock-like presence in the defence, Ramos’s presence and experience in the Spanish squad have been a boon for the young players creating the perfect blend of youth and experience. But the Los Blancos centre-back will miss a major tournament for the first time in his international career, with Luis Enrique not calling up a single Real Madrid player for Spain.
Ex-Liverpool and Barcelona winger Garcia believes the tournament may have been too much for Ramos if he is not at his best. Adjudging it as the right call, the ex-winger feels it’s better to utilise players who are fit and readily available for the tournament than heading into the injury. With newcomers Aymeric Laporte, Eric Garcia, Diego Llorente and Pau Torres eager to make a difference, Spain’s backline is truly in safe hands.
"With Sergio Ramos, we have our doubts because he struggled in the last stages of La Liga. It’s true that he’s a leader, he’s the captain of the national team for many years and when he was needed he always stood up and proved what an amazing player he is. He gave confidence to the players near him. I think at this stage, you are going to need 120 per cent off every player," Garcia said, reported Goal.
"With the Covid-19 situation, with the travelling, there are a lot of things happening and if you arrive into the tournament and you are not in your best shape, there is always going to be a doubt. To bring in a player who might have an injury in the first game, or even in training, like happened with Sergio Ramos, it is a little bit risky. Yes, we are going to miss him, but Luis Enrique will have thought about that a lot.
"He is a coach who is always going, to be honest with the players, who tries to find the players who are performing the best, and that is what he decided to bring in Eric Garcia, Laporte, Pau Torres and Diego Llorente," he added.
