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Getafe starlet set for 'dream' debut
By Lucy Turner from Barcelona
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Ruben De La Red has been in fine fettle with
Getafe (¿Getty Images)
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Ruben De La Red kicked off the season in Real Madrid
CF's reserves, but he could end it with international honours as the Getafe
CF starlet lines up to make his debut for Spain against world champions
Italy in Elche on Wednesday.
Breakthrough
Madrid's glut of midfield options limited De La Red to just ten substitute
appearances in the Primera Division, although he had been capped 15 times
at Under-21 level for his country. He had doubled that tally of league
appearances by December, all of them starts, after enjoying a gilded beginning
to life at Getafe following his move across the Spanish capital at the
end of August. He has signed a two-year deal with Getafe, though Madrid
have wisely kept an option of re-signing him in the summer of 2009. How
Getafe's faith has been rewarded. With De La Red forming the base of the
midfield, Michael Laudrup's side have reached the Copa del Rey final for
the second successive year, and the last eight of the UEFA Cup in their
first season in Europe. Now the player, too, has his prize: a maiden international
call-up.
Getafe first
"This is very important for De La Red," explained Getafe coach
Laudrup. "It's reward for the good season he is having. It's the
most a player can ask for. If you have talent you have to be in the national
team, among the best." A Denmark legend, Laudrup knows a thing or
two about the international playing field himself, and having started
out at Getafe, Spain coach Luis Aragones does not need reminding of the
team from south Madrid. He called up Mariano Pernia for the 2006 FIFA
World Cup, though by then the Getafe defender had agreed terms with Club
Atletico de Madrid.
'Dream come true'
De La Red could become the first Getafe player to represent Spain as a
full international, an achievement he is taking with typical modesty.
"I'm very proud to be the first player from Getafe to be called up
- this is my first top-flight club and it means a lot for me to be part
of their history," said the 22-year-old, one of three newcomers in
the Spain squad for the match against Italy at the Estadio Manuel Martinez
Valero. "I'm very happy and can't wait for the time to come. It is
a dream come true."
Euro2008.uefa.com,
25 March 2008
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