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With the Spanish team navigating between doubts and the ticket to eighth in the air,
Luis Enrique
decided to press three buttons. Against Slovakia,
Sergio Busquets
returned
,
César Azpilicueta
landed
and
Pablo Sarabia
appeared
, who until the Eurocup had only played 201 minutes with the national team. The bet, in sight, has been flawless for the coach. The midfielder has been chosen the best in both games, the defender has even made his debut as a scorer with Spain and Sarabia, without making noise, has added two goals and two assists. It was also his whip to the crossbar that the Slovakian goalkeeper slapped on goal. Nobody assures him that he will go from the start against Switzerland, but he has enough arguments to start with
Álvaro Morata
(and another) in that quarter-quarter crossing that yesterday, on the pitch of the Petrovsky multipurpose stadium, under the congested sky of Saint Petersburg, began to prop up the selection.
Sarabia is 29 years old and has lived in Paris since 2019. Before that, she had done it in Seville, Getafe and Valdebebas, where her story began.
Neymar
,
Mbappé
,
Icardi
or
Di María
are his rivals for a position at PSG. A stellar panorama that has not distorted reality. «It is a great discovery and a vital piece for the operation of the group. Everyone is delighted with him, "they acknowledged from the heart of the national team, hours before leaving for Russia. Since starting, Spain has mutated into the team with the most punch in the championship: 11 goals in two games.
A different and unexpected summer for him, who had other plans. “I was in the car with my girlfriend and I got a call. She believed at that time that we were going on vacation, but there was a turn of events, "said the footballer as soon as he arrived at the Las Rozas concentration camp. He hadn't worn the Spain shirt for two years and took it for granted that this summer he would have a vacation. The last call he received had been from
Robert Moreno
, in November 2019. He scored one of the seven goals against San Marino, during qualifying for this European Championship, and did not enter into Luis Enrique's plans until on May 24 his name appeared in the video that revealed the list for final.
"He is a kid with incredible humility, he was not expected to come and look at the role he is playing," they add under the roof of the national team, whose headquarters in Saint Petersburg will be the Astoria hotel.
In this surprise adventure, Sarabia has not stopped looking at the sky.
He lost his father a few years ago and each conquest has been a nod to him: "He would have loved to see me here."
The military salute to the camera as soon as he beat
Dominik Livakovic
in the Parken was his way of channeling the tribute.
The alternative at the Bernabéu
His connection to Morata goes a long way. Both fought a decade ago for promotion to Second with Castilla. «Pablo was a special player and very decisive. We put him behind the striker or in a band and he was always decisive. He left Castilla very early and we feel that maybe he would have needed a little more time »,
Alberto Toril
tells EL MUNDO
, who managed Sarabia in the Real Madrid quarry for two years.
Together with Álvaro, he won two Europeans, one under 19 and the other under 21.
Their bond is special.
«They grew up together and went through all the categories together.
On a technical level and knowledge of the game, Pablo was a step above the rest.
He has a strong and open character, which made him a bit special and a leader on the field, "adds Toril, who managed a dressing room that also included
Dani Carvajal
or
Lucas Vázquez
, a year older.
«He is in a moment of maturity and knowledge of the game.
It should be in a large Spanish ”, complete.
Sarabia greets the Spanish fans in Copenhagen.MARTIN MEISSNERAFP
In that title with the sub'21, eight summers ago (2013), there were also
Koke
and
Thiago
, who decided the final against
Verratti
,
Insigne
or
Immobile's
Italy
with a hat-trick. That afternoon in Jerusalem,
Julen Lopetegui
decided that Pablo would not dispute any minute. However, when the referee signaled the end, he ran to celebrate as if the treble had been his.
He made Pablo debut in the elite
José Mourinho
.
It was in the last match of the group stage of the Champions League against Auxerre, (4-0) in December 2010, on the pitch of the
Santiago Bernabéu
.
He played 18 minutes and never wore the white first team jersey again.
He was only 18 years old.
His story has been written between Getafe, Seville and, since 2019, Paris, where he thought he was going on vacation after signing seven goals and four assists in 37 games.
He was wrong.
The European Championship reserved an alternative route for him.
The path that he had dreamed of as a child so many times.
According to the criteria of The Trust Project
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