Contenders leave Spurs’ Porro out for finals

Tottenham wideman Pedro Porro and Aston Villa centre-back Pau Torres have been left out of a provisional Spain squad for Uefa Euro 2024 which includes uncapped Fermin Lopez and two of the Barcelona midfielder’s teenage team-mates, Lamine Yamal and Pau Cubarsi.

Porro was directly involved in 11 goals in 37 appearances during his first season at Spurs following a £39 million move from Sporting, but La Roja head coach Luis de la Fuente has not named the 24-year-old in a 29-man training group which will be reduced by three players for the June 7 tournament deadline.

Former Manchester City player Porro featured throughout Spain’s 1-0 friendly defeat to Colombia at West Ham’s London Stadium in March, while Torres has not played international football since a 90-minute appearance in a 3-1 win over Cyprus in November.

The 27-year-old made 39 club appearances in all competitions as Villa reached the semi-finals of the Europa Conference League and qualified for the Champions League by finishing third in the Premier League.

🚨 𝗢𝗙𝗜𝗖𝗜𝗔𝗟 | Lista de preparación para la @EURO2024.

📲 Guárdate esta creatividad. Puede ser histórica.#VamosEspaña | #EURO2024 pic.twitter.com/5PT8Gf7PtG

— Selección Española Masculina de Fútbol (@SEFutbol) May 27, 2024

There is better news for Chelsea defender Marc Cucurella, who was recalled for Spain’s most recent friendlies and played his first international for almost three years against Brazil at Real Madrid’s Santiago Bernabeu.

Cucurella – the world’s most expensive full-back, with Chelsea paying Brighton & Hove Albion £62 million for him in 2022 – is one of three Premier League players in the squad alongside Manchester City midfielder Rodri and Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya.

Spain Euro 2024 fixtures

De La Fuente announced his squad, which includes five players each from Barcelona and Real Sociedad, at an event alongside former European champions Jose Angel Iribar, Joan Capdevila and Fernando Torres.

Spain host Andorra on June 5 and Northern Ireland three days later as they prepare for an eighth successive appearance at the finals, including consecutive titles in 2008 and 2012.

Their previous title came in 1964, with a defeat to champions Italy on penalties at Wembley Stadium knocking them out of the 2020 tournament.

Odds compilers consider Spain fourth-favourites alongside Portugal, behind World Cup finalists France, Euro 2020 finalists England and hosts Germany.

The loss to Colombia was Spain’s first in a friendly for almost eight years and they face a tricky-looking challenge in Group B, which has pitted them against Italy again in Gelsenkirchen on June 20.

Their opener is in Berlin on June 15 against Croatia, who they beat on penalties after a 0-0 draw in the Nations League final in June. Albania await in Dusseldorf in their closing group-stage game on June 24.