• Kepa The return of calm, after two and a half years without being summoned with the selection

These are interesting months for Nacho Fernández. After a complicated autumn of 2022, where he ran out of minutes at Real Madrid and was not summoned by Luis Enrique for the Qatar World Cup, 2023 is sitting well for the white academy. Carlo Ancelotti has opted for him as a starter in 17 of the 21 matches his team has played since January 1 and Luis de la Fuente has trusted him in his first list as Spanish coach.

Three months after finishing his contract with Madrid, everything begins to clear for the center, who was the protagonist of this Wednesday in the Ciudad del Fútbol de Las Rozas. With a calm speech and without dodging questions, Nacho dropped that "if everything continues like this it will be very easy" to make the decision to continue at the Santiago Bernabéu, always "hand in hand with the club".

"The season started very complicated," he recalled, as he did at Anfield Road. "I spent a regular time because I didn't feel important, but now everything has changed. It's as if the situation has turned around," he confessed. At 33, he will wait until the end of the season to sit down with the club and make a decision, although everything indicates that the "yes" is mutual. "If things go as they have been until now it will be very easy," he admitted, with the slightest doubt about the idea that Madrid has with him: "If I arrive and Madrid tells me that they do not count on me, what do I do?" he asked himself with a laugh, because he himself knows, as this newspaper has also published, that the directive of the white team wants his continuity and so he will offer it.

Until June 2024

A contract that, as a rule of the club for all players over 30 years old, will be for only one season, something that does not matter to the canterano: "It is not that Madrid give me more years or more money. It's being important. At first I didn't have the confidence of the coach, I was fine and I didn't feel reciprocated. It is a situation that I have to live every year and to which I always manage to turn around, "he reflected, admitting that "I do not have the decision made" but that "I will not have a problem of years, I do not care to sign one or four, I will be in the same situation", and concluded: "I know that I will not be better anywhere".

On the selection, with which he was not since 2018 and with which he will play the next two matches against Norway (Saturday, 20:45 h) in La Rosaleda and Scotland (Tuesday, 28, 20:45) at Hampden Park, he valued the opportunity that Luis de la Fuente has given him after a stage in which Luis Enrique did not consider him selectable. "It was a complicated situation. Coming is not easy, because there are great players, and with Luis Enrique I had the opportunity to come and for other reasons I stopped coming. It's football, a matter of taste," he said, although he looked "capable of being in the National Team." "Because of circumstances, I stopped coming. I've thought I'd liked I'd been in more games, but football is like that. I had hoped to have returned with Luis Enrique but they are coaching decisions and I can't get involved."

Between Luis Enrique's "no" and De la Fuente's "yes" there are "sporting reasons", Nacho supposes. "As far as I know," he emphasizes. "I have never spoken with Luis Enrique beyond the times I was summoned, but I imagine it will be sporting. I've never had any problems with him." For his part, he highlights the new coach how "close" and "affectionate" he is. "It's very much the profile of the coach we have in Madrid, he gives you confidence and affection."

From 2013 to 2023

Between Nacho's debut with the national team and his 'redebut' this week, ten years will have passed. From that half hour against Chile in 2013 to the clash against Norway on Saturday. Many years and many footballers. "When I was here there was Iniesta, Cesc... They lived through the golden age. Now, we have a different team, very young, but with a tremendous illusion. My experience can contribute, but the kids who come from below is incredible." And he specified in Sergio Ramos, "partner" and "friend" who has not been called by De la Fuente: "By coaching decisions he is not here, but football is happening. He's been the best defender nationally."

Now, Nacho, Ceballos and Carvajal have met Gavi after a last hot classic for that push without the ball of the Barça academy player to the Andalusian midfielder: "I did not talk anything with Gavi about that subject. He's a good kid. It's a classic and there are kicks, fights, friction... It's football. There is no need to think about it any more. The goal is to win with the National Team."

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  • Luis Enrique
  • Dani Carvajal
  • Spain national football team