A man with glasses and headphones appears in the foreground, while to his left there is a player in a red uniform and to his right another player with a large gray X over him.
Santiago Cañizares Opens Up About Luis de la Fuente's Selection | Camara Real Madrid Confidencial
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Cañizares Reveals Why de la Fuente Has Chosen Huijsen and Not Asencio:

The former goalkeeper of Real Madrid and Valencia gives his candid opinion on this tactical decision

by

Enrique Sanz

One of the big surprises in the Spanish national team's list for the current international break was Raúl Asencio. The Real Madrid footballer, since his arrival to the first team, has shown an excellent competitive level and earned his place in Luis de la Fuente's squad. But, contrary to what was expected, he hasn't debuted with "La Roja".

Not even after Pau Cubarsí had to leave, injured, from the national camp. Raúl Asencio watched the entire match between Spain and the Netherlands from the Mestalla bench... because the central duo chosen was Robin Le Normand and Dean Huijsen, just when some expected Raúl Asencio to have his first minutes with the Spanish national team.

A player in a white and blue training uniform walks across the field while other players practice in the background.
Raúl Asencio during a training session in the March international break | Real Madrid Confidencial

Raúl Asencio left his counter at zero in this international break, not even with the Atlético de Madrid central defender booked during the last minutes of the Spain-Netherlands match. The opinions on this decision by Luis de la Fuente are diverse and Santiago Cañizares has offered a striking explanation regarding that tactical and technical decision for that match.

The former Real Madrid and Valencia goalkeeper pointed out that Luis de la Fuente has a team that "wants to play soccer". That's why placing Dean Huijsen is the most reasonable option, as he is a central defender "fantastic for playing soccer" following the idea that the national coach would have. "He has good ball distribution and everything he does with the ball makes perfect sense", recalls Cañizares.

Comparisons and Differences

However, "if what you want is to defend, Asencio is more of a defender than this guy". Santiago Cañizares argues that Asencio "defends more" than a Dean Huijsen "who is the profile of Cubarsí, that's why he put him instead of Asencio". The former goalkeeper concludes that Luis de la Fuente, once again, aimed to control the ball in the match against the Netherlands.

That's why Raúl Asencio has been left without the opportunity to play his first minutes as a player of the Spanish national team. "They are two different profiles", insists Santiago Cañizares about the different footballing virtues of Real Madrid's '35' and AFC Bournemouth's '2'.

A player celebrating a goal with arms outstretched in front of the goal.
Dean Huijsen celebrating a goal with AFC Bournemouth | Real Madrid Confidencial

"One is a defender and the other is a play initiator who, evidently, also has to perform in other aspects", warning that Dean Huijsen is not a bad central defender either. Be that as it may, the international break of this March has definitively ended... and Raúl Asencio hasn't added any minutes with "La Roja".

Paco González, meanwhile, those assessments by Santiago Cañizares, would have the explanation. Because Luis de la Fuente, for the match at De Kuip, "chose him for the bench" with Dean Huijsen. "I think he wasn't going to count on him or Asencio", concludes Paco González, but Pau Cubarsí's injury changed absolutely everything. 

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