A door opens for Pablo Barrios to compete in the 2026 World Cup

The countdown to the World Cup has already begun and expectation is most within the Metropolitano places of work. Subsequent week, Luis de la Fuente will make official the ultimate call-up for the Spanish Nationwide Staff, and the whole lot signifies that Atlético de Madrid shall be one of many nice protagonists of the match. If there are not any dramatic last-minute twists, names like Marcos Llorente, Marc Pubill and Álex Baena have their place virtually assured, whereas Robin Le Normand retains the teaching employees in suspense about his choices.

Nonetheless, the true focus of consideration is on Pablo Barrios. The Madrid midfielder had emerged as a fixture for the coach through the 2025 worldwide breaks, displaying that the bounce from the U-21 to the senior workforce was not nice for him.

Sadly, a damned 2026 actually, marked by damned muscle accidents, took him away from the March window and stopped his development chilly. An amazing setback that pressured him to overlook very important occasions with Atleti, such because the Copa del Rey last or the Champions League semi-finals in opposition to Arsenal.

A door opened on the final minute

Though Barrios seems on the pre-list of 55 gamers, logic positioned him among the many mounted discards. However soccer is unpredictable. The latest and painful damage of Fermín López, who suffers a fracture in his foot, adjustments the image utterly. This last-minute loss, added to the bodily doubts that different regulars reminiscent of Mikel Merino or Nico Williams have, opens a window of hope for the red-and-white “8”.

𝗖𝗢𝗠𝗨𝗡𝗜𝗖𝗔𝗗𝗢 𝗠𝗘́𝗗𝗜𝗖𝗢

First workforce participant Fermín López suffered a fracture within the fifth metatarsal of his proper foot throughout yesterday’s recreation.

The participant will bear surgical therapy. pic.twitter.com/xE3tX96882

— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona_es) Could 18, 2026

Barrios’ expertise is just not in dispute. He already is aware of what it’s to style the golden glory after the Paris Olympic Video games and, being 100% match, he’s an irreplaceable piece in Diego Pablo Simeone’s scheme. The issue is time.

The final alternative to be seen within the eyes of Luis de la Fuente shall be within the demanding duel in opposition to Villarreal. Will probably be an actual race in opposition to time so as to add high quality minutes, though the membership is obvious that absolutely the precedence is to not power the machine and keep away from in any respect prices a relapse that complicates the way forward for subsequent season.