Eric Garcia leaves Spain squad with knee discomfort as Le Normand takes his place

Eric Garcia has left the Spain national team camp after feeling discomfort in his left knee during the warm-up for the match against England at Wembley, which ended in a 2-3 win for Spain. Tests carried out after the return from London confirmed the issue, and both Luis de la Fuente and the player himself chose to rule out any risk. Robin Le Normand will take his place for the upcoming Nations League games against Croatia and the Czech Republic.

• Eric Garcia felt discomfort in his left knee during the warm-up against England.
• Medical tests rule out a serious injury, but the decision is made to avoid risks.
• Robin Le Normand joins the squad for the Nations League fixtures.
• The defender returns to Barcelona for treatment and targets the Getafe match on 10 October.
• It is the player's second physical setback of the season.

Knee discomfort and a cautious decision

The Martorell-born centre-back began to feel the problem in his left knee before the match at Wembley got underway. He was initially expected to start as a right-back, but Luis de la Fuente eventually turned to Marc Pubill to face Anthony Gordon on that flank.

Back in Spain, medical examinations confirmed the discomfort. The RFEF stated that, after the tests were carried out, the decision was made to release the player given how close the next international fixtures are, protecting his health and preventing the issue from getting worse.

Robin Le Normand joins the Nations League squad

With Eric Garcia ruled out, Luis de la Fuente turns to Robin Le Normand for the double-header against Croatia and the match against the Czech Republic. The defender joins a Spain side that already showed solidity at Wembley and is looking to stay strong in the early stages of the Nations League.

Spain now faces a busy international window, with three games in a short space of time. The first meeting with Croatia will set the tone for the group and give the coach a chance to adjust his defensive pieces without taking risks with any of his centre-backs.

Return to Barcelona and the target against Getafe at Camp Nou

Eric Garcia will return to Barcelona to begin his recovery and make himself fully available to Hansi Flick. The aim is to be ready for the La Liga match on Saturday 10 October at 18:30 at the Spotify Camp Nou against Getafe.

The Catalan has become a key piece for Flick at the start of the campaign. He has played 469 minutes, which places him seventh in the squad in terms of participation, ahead of Jules Koundé, who sits seventeenth with 261 minutes.

Second physical setback of the season for Eric Garcia

This early departure from the national team camp is the second setback the defender has suffered this season. During Barcelona's 0-5 win over Valencia on 6 September, he had to leave the pitch after breaking his nasal septum in an accidental clash with teammate Rodrigo Hernández, a situation he already experienced in November 2025 in Bruges.

Despite that blow, Eric Garcia did not miss a single match and played with a protective mask, something he had already had to wear for two months last season and continues to use this term. His only absence from the starting line-ups this season came on matchday three against Rayo Vallecano, a 5-2 win for Barcelona. He was also unavailable against Feyenoord due to the red card he received in the previous edition of the Champions League against Atlético de Madrid.

The issue is not considered serious, but neither Luis de la Fuente nor the player himself want to take the risk of it getting worse.