Barcelona ask Spanish national team to not call up forward for upcoming matches

The first international break of 2024 is just around the corner and a number of Barcelona players are expecting call-ups to their national team squads.

Spain manager Luis de la Fuente will be announcing his squad list this Friday and even though the likes of Pedri, Gavi, and Alejandro Balde are out with injury, some Barcelona players are expected to make the cut.

Barcelona ask Spain not to call up Ferran Torres

However, as per Mundo Deportivo, Barcelona have requested the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) to not include Ferran Torres on the squad list for their upcoming matches.

Ferran is one of the most important players for Spain manager Luis de la Fuente, because he knows the attacker very well from the national youth teams.

As such, the 24-year-old has been a regular presence in the squad list under De la Fuente for the most part since the latter took over as manager after the FIFA World Cup 2022.

However, Barça have asked Spain not to call Ferran up as they wish for the forward to stay back in Catalonia and continue recovering from his injury.

Ferran is still recovering from injury. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images)

When will Ferran return?

Ferran is still out of action after damaging the biceps femoris in his right thigh on 31 January. Even though it was expected that he could be ready against Napoli this week, it was not the case and the forward is still not back in group training.

As per the report, Torres is expected to receive his medical discharge this Friday, on the same day as De la Fuente will announce the Spain squad.

The forward is expected to be ready for the game against Atletico Madrid but is unlikely to be a starter at the Civitas Metropolitano. Physically he will be fine, but he will lack rhythm and there is no need to take risks after a muscular injury.

It is for this reason that before Spain’s two friendlies against Colombia in London and Brazil at the Santiago Bernabeu, in which La Roja have nothing at stake, Barça have asked Spain to let Ferran stay back and continue his recovery.