Stats Suggest Nacho, Ramos & Asensio Euros Snub ‘Questionable’

Spanish men national team coach has released his squad list for the Euros and there are no Real Madrid players.

The biggest and probably most shocking omission is that of team captain Sergio Ramos.

However, an examination of the numbers also suggest, other omissions like that of Marco Asensio and Nacho Fernandez are mind-boggling.

The numbers don’t justify it the omission of these three Real Madrid players, which raises suspicion especially for the folks in white.

The Spanish men’s national team captain has missed quite a number of games for Real Madrid in the just ended season.

So has Real Madrid winger Marco Asensio, who has also had his issues with injuries and form.

However, a look at the statistics of the three Real Madrid players reveal they boast better game minutes and goal contribution than at least five of Enrique’s call ups.

Sergio Ramos, despite all his injuries, has better game minutes than Eric Garcia of Manchester City, Diego Llorente of Leeds United, and Aymeric Laporte also of City.

Nacho Fernandez, who stood in for Ramos in Real Madrid when the captain was out injured even boasts better numbers than the three center backs.

In the case of Asensio, he put up better goal contribution and minutes each than Wolves’ Adama Traore and PSG’s Pablo Sarabia respectively.

The Numbers Zoomed In – Ramos vs Garcia, Laporte, Llorente, & Nacho

Of the four center backs in Luis Enrique’s squad, only Villareal’s Pau Toress has more minutes and goal contribution in his league than Sergio Ramos.

In each of their league campaigns in the just ended 20/21 season, Ramos has played fifteen 15 times, Garcia 6, Nacho 24, Llorente 15, and Laporte 16.

Of those appearances, Ramos has been named in the starting XI, 39% of the time, Garcia only 8%, Nacho 58%, Llorente 39%, and Laporte 37%.

In terms of minutes played, Ramos had 37%, Garcia 11%, Nacho 58%, Llorente 37%, and for Laporte 39%.

With 2 goals and 0 assists, Ramos has 2% goal participation, Garcia 0&, Nacho 1%, Llorente 1%, and Laporte 0%.

Ramos boasts of far better numbers in the UEFA Champiosn League than all except Nacho, who edges Ramos in appearances not goals participation, and Llorente, who hasn’t played in the Champions league at all.

The Numbers, Asensio vs Traore & Sarabia

In attack, Marco Asensio missed out on a national team call-up to the Euros, while Adama Traore and Pablo Sarabia made the squad.

The statistics nonetheless raises questions as to whether the two attackers deserved places ahead of the Mallorcan.

The Real Madrid player made 35 league appearances registering 5 goals and 2 assists in the process.

Adama Traore made 37 league appearances for Wolves, but managed only 2 goals and 3 assists, while Sarabia made 27 apps and registered 6 goals and 4 assists.

Asensio also out-performed the two wingers in the UEFA Champions league posting 2 goals in 11 apps.

QUESTION

Ramos may have struggled with injuries but he is now fit. He even trained by himself on Sunday and can definitely play in the Euros.

He even made Real Madrid’s squad for their final league game vs Villareal, although he never came on from the bench.

Asensio has been fit and firing for the most part of recent months, and he played Real Madrid’s last game of the season.

Nacho has not had any injury issues. He has been consistent and putting on spectacular performances for Real Madrid all season in the absence of Ramos.

So the question I guess, and this is probably on the minds of many others, why did all three of these Real Madrid players miss the Euro 2020 Span squad?

From where I stand, it can’t be for purely sporting reasons like form, apps and goal contributions, so why?

That is a question only Luis Enrique, coach of the Spanish men national team, and former coach of Barcelona, can answer.