Spain makes light of failure to reschedule Finalissima vs. Argentina with comedy sketch
BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Spain’s soccer team has made light of its and Argentina’s failure to find an alternative venue to play the canceled “Finalissima” match after the original site of Qatar was made untenable by the Iran war.
Instead of playing Argentina on March 27 in Doha, Spain quickly arranged to play Serbia on the same day back home in Villarreal.
A video posted on Friday on the Spanish team’s X account includes a short sketch depicting a fictional Argentine couple bickering about the husband’s apparently hairbrained idea to send an audio message to Spain coach Luis de la Fuente to ask him for tickets to see Spain vs. Serbia. The husband’s plan pays off when the coach responds positively.
“Of course, count on the ticket, or rather tickets for you and your friends,” De la Fuente tells the Argentine fan. “Although I would have liked to have seen you at a different game, I am sure this will be a great match as well.”
The game between the European and South American champions was called off on Sunday because of the widening of Iran’s attacks on neighboring Arab states in retaliation to ongoing bombardments by the United States and Israel.
But the two teams and European and South American soccer officials were unable to agree on an alternative venue.
“Both myself and the Spanish federation always wanted to play (against Argentina),” De la Fuente told reporters in Madrid after the video of his squad list was posted. “Unfortunately, it wasn’t to be. That has nothing to do with the efforts of the federation and my staff.”
Upon its cancellation, the Spanish federation said that it and UEFA had tried “every possibility” to play the game, either at home or at another site, to no avail.
UEFA said all other feasible alternatives it explored “ultimately proved unacceptable to the Argentinian Football Association,” including playing it in Madrid, where there is a large Argentine community.
The option of staging the event over two legs — one in Madrid on March 27, the other in Buenos Aires before the Euros and the Copa America in 2028 — was also rejected. Argentina had proposed to play the match later this year after the World Cup but Spain had no available dates.
South American soccer body CONMEBOL said in a statement on Sunday that Argentina’s federation (AFA) received an offer from UEFA to play the match in Italy on March 27, but the defending World Cup and Copa America champion countered that the game take place on March 31.
It would have pitted Lionel Messi against Lamine Yamal in a showcase World Cup warmup.
Also on Friday, Spain announced that it will play Egypt in a friendly on March 31 in Barcelona.
Spain started using creative videos of their coaches to announce squad lists under Luis Enrique, the current Paris Saint-Germain manager who preceded De la Fuente.
García and Mosquera in squad for first time
Barcelona goalkeeper Joan García and Arsenal defender Cristhian Mosquera were included in a Spain squad for the first time.
They both helped the under-23 side win the gold medal at the 2024 Olympics. García moved to Barcelona from Espanyol this season, while Mosquera joined the Premier League leader from Valencia.
Instead of choosing which goalkeeper to drop, De la Fuente took four goalies with García joining regular starter Unai Simón, David Raya and Alex Remiro.
Osasuna winger Víctor Muñoz and Real Sociedad forward Ander Barrenetxea also made their first Spain squad.
Zubimendi and Rodri
De la Fuente included Rodri and Martín Zubimendi in his squad, setting up an interesting choice.
Rodri was a pillar of the team that won the 2024 European Championship, but he is not back at top form since returning from a leg injury last season. So, it will be interesting to see if De la Fuente sticks with the in-form Zubimendi as his starter with June’s World Cup looming.
Squad:
Goalkeepers: Joan Garcia (Barcelona), David Raya (Arsenal), Unai Simón (Athletic Bilbao), Álex Remiro (Real Sociedad).
Defenders: Marc Cucurella (Chelsea), Alejandro Grimaldo (Bayer Leverkusen), Marcos Llorente (Atletico Madrid), Pau Cubarsí (Barcelona), Aymeric Laporte (Athletic Bilbao), Dean Huijsen (Real Madrid), Cristhian Mosquera (Arsenal), Pedro Porro (Tottenham).
Midfielders: Rodri (Manchester City), Martín Zubimendi (Arsenal), Pedri (Barcelona), Pablo Fornals (Real Betis), Carlos Soler (Real Sociedad), Dani Olmo (Barcelona), Fermín López (Barcelona).
Forwards: Lamine Yamal (Barcelona), Ferran Torres (Barcelona), Yéremi Pino (Crystal Palace), Mikel Oyarzabal (Real Sociedad), Ander Barrenetxea (Real Sociedad), Víctor Muñoz (Osasuna), Alex Baena (Atletico Madrid), Borja Iglesias (Celta Vigo).
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