Player Focus: Is In-form Vitolo Unlikely to Last with La Roja?

Amid all the drama of Champions League ties and La Liga clasicos, the announcement of Spain’s squad for this week’s international break went very much under the radar.

For those paying attention there were, however, some interesting calls in the 24-man squad named last week for this Friday’s Euro 2012 qualifier at home to Ukraine, and the potential World Cup revenge friendly next Tuesday against the Netherlands in Amsterdam.

Chelsea’s Cesar Azpilicueta not making the cut was unexpected, while new or ‘newish’ names called up included Juventus centre-forward Alvaro Morata, Villarreal’s in-form goalkeeper Sergio Asenjo, Atletico Madrid back-up midfielder Mario Suarez and Athletic Bilbao utility man Mikel San Jose.

The biggest surprise [at least to those not following the widespread leaks to the local press last week] was the inclusion of Sevilla wideman Vitolo, who received his first international senior call.

“We have brought in Vitolo due to how he has been coming along recently,” Del Bosque said when announcing the squad. “He has been playing well with Sevilla and can be useful to us on the left wing.”

At first glance the decision does seem to make a certain amount of sense. Vitolo has been in flying form as his team have qualified for the Europa League quarter-finals, while simultaneously maintaining an outside chance of making next season’s Champions League by finishing fourth in La Liga.

The 25-year old also now has six goals in his last six games, after celebrating the happy news with an expertly taken volley in Sunday’s 2-0 La Liga win at Villarreal. Still though, the idea that the now 25-year old Canary Islander would be making a La Roja squad was until recently not really thinkable.

The first stirrings of form came in an excellent performance at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu in early February, when he was named man of the match after gaining an 8.72 overall rating while providing an assist, even as Sevilla were unfortunate to go down 1-2 to Real Madrid.

That was followed by a double strike in his side’s impressive 3-2 Europa League win at Borussia Moenchengladbach, and then an outstanding display including two goals, winning a penalty and provoking an own-goal for another man of the match award as Sevilla won 4-3 at Deportivo La Coruna in early March.

It is clear that Vitolo is in the form of his life right now. Coming through at hometown club Las Palmas of Gran Canaria, his Segunda Division performances earned him a €3 million move to Sevilla in summer 2013.

Through his first season at the Estadio Sanchez Pizjuan, Vitolo impressed coach Unai Emery enough to become a regular starter, if never quite an automatic choice in the XI. Four goals and six assists in 29 La Liga appearances, and a further three goals and one assist as Sevilla won last season’s Europa League, was a more than decent return for a first top-flight season. But still, richer clubs looking to strip the financially troubled Andalucians’ assets looked at Ivan Rakitic, Carlos Bacca and Fabricio Fazio, not the right-footed left winger wearing the number 20 shirt.

This season did not start so well, with just two goals and one assist [but six yellow cards] in 21 games up until the end of January. Then came the sudden burst of form, which has seen him thrust into the senior Spain squad for the upcoming games. Few would name Vitolo as Sevilla’s most important player however, with Bacca, Ever Banega and even veteran Jose Antonio Reyes probably more integral to Emery’s plans. Even the player himself claimed to be surprised by the call, and to not even have been following Del Bosque’s announcement too closely.

“I heard while I was listening to the Europa League draw,” he told Estadio Deportivo. “The radio presenter said it. I was left in a state of shock. When I checked my phone I had more than 200 Whatsapp messages. I couldn’t even read them all.”

A look into the statistics, beyond the six goals in his last six games, suggests the call-up may not have been a long-term plan of Del Bosque’s. Vitolo still has just two assists all season, while averaging 0.5 key passes and just 32.1 passes per game. This suggests he will not be an ideal fit with pass-masters Cesc Fabregas, David Silva, Andres Iniesta and company in Spain’s attacking midfield line. Real Madrid’s Isco, for example, looks much more likely to start against Ukraine on Friday.

However, the call-up does fit with Del Bosque's tendency to reward lower profile club players in good form around the time he names his squad. Similar past call-ups have included the likes of Benat Etxebarria [then at Real Betis], Manu del Moral [then at Getafe] and Markel Susaeta [still at Athletic Bilbao], all good Primera Division players, but far from top international class.

The most recent such decision saw Celta Vigo attacker Nolito named for Spain's last game, November’s friendly at home to Germany. Coincidentally or not that game was played at Celta's Balaidos ground, and Nolito made his debut as a substitute. The former Barca-starlet is still playing well for his club, but has now not made the most recent squad.

It could well be though, that Del Bosque has been influenced by the odds that Vitolo making his debut against Ukraine, or at least the possibility of this happening, would help boost the attendance at Sevilla’s Sanchez Pizjuan on Friday night.

Having been shocked 2-1 in Slovakia last October, defending Euro champions Spain are currently second in Group C on nine points from four games, the same tally as next opponents Ukraine. But, given two teams qualify automatically, plus the extra play-off chances, it seems unthinkable that La Roja will not be defending their crown in 2016.

So it does make sense for Del Bosque to reward players who are currently doing well, to spread the caps around outside the biggest clubs, and to persuade some extra fans to come along to qualifiers to cheer on their local heroes. However, neither the numbers nor the timing suggest that Vitolo will be on the plane to France in 15 months’ time.

Has Vitolo deserved his call-up to the Spain squad? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below