De La Fuen makes changes for Spain's Euro qualifiers, Arrizabalaga returns

New Spain coach Luis de la Fuente has recalled goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga and striker Iago Aspas , who named him for this month's European Championship qualifiers against Norway and Scotland on Friday. A 26 -man squad.

De La Fuente has just 11 players at the World Cup in Qatar, with Spain knocked out by Morocco in the last 16 under predecessor Luis Enrique , including Barcelona defender Jordi Alba.

Chelsea goalkeeper Arizabalaga, who has made 26 appearances in all competitions so far , last featured for Spain in October 2020 , while striker Aspas, 35, returns for the first time since 2019 with Vigose. Erta scored 11 goals in 25 league games .

Real Madrid defender Nacho Fernandez , 33 , also returned for the first time since 2018, while Osasuna's David Garcia and Espanyol's Joselu were also called up for the first time.

World Cup-bound Barcelona midfielders Garvey and Pedri advanced, but their teammates Ansu Fati, Ferran Torres and Eric Garcia were eliminated along with Alba.

Atletico Madrid duo Koke and Marcos Llorente and Real striker Marco Asensio are also ruled out.

" In choosing this team, I didn't think about the past, but about the present and the future, " De La Fuente told a news conference.

Spain lineup

Spain host Norway on March 25 and Scotland three days later in Glasgow in their first two games in Group A, which also includes Georgia and Cyprus .

Team:

Goalkeepers: Kepa Arrizabalaga (Chelsea), Robert Sanchez (Brighton), David Laia (Brentford)

Defenders: Gaya (Valencia), Valde (Barcelona), Laporte (Manchester City), Martinez (Athletic Bilbao), Fernandez (Real Madrid), Carvajal (Real Madrid), Garcia (Osasuna), Pedro Polo (Tottenham Hotspur)

Midfielders: Rodri (Manchester City), Martin Zubimendi (Real Sociedad), Mikel Merino (Real Sociedad), Pedri (Barcelona), Gavi (Barcelona) , Fabian Ruiz (Paris Saint-Germain), Dani Ceballos (Real Madrid)

Forwards: Alvaro Morata (Atletico Madrid), Danny Olmo ( RB Leipzig), Nico Williams (Athletic Bilbao), Brian Gill ( Sevilla), Mikel Oyazabal (Real Sociedad), Iago Aspas (Celta Vigo ), Joselu (Espanyol), Gerard Moreno ( Villarreal) )