England team: Thomas Tuchel omits Jarrad Branthwaite, James Garner and Josh King before Spain game

Three players leave squad

Tuchel has omitted Branthwaite, Garner and King ahead of England’s meeting with world champions Spain. The match is scheduled for Sunday night in Madrid. Garner came on for Declan Rice in the 77th minute of England’s 2-1 win over Croatia at Wembley on Thursday. He scored, but the goal was ruled out; Branthwaite and King did not take the field.

Fitness changes affect selection

Konsa and Spence are available again after missing the Croatia match. Their return to fitness was one factor behind the three players’ omission. First-time call-ups Jobe Bellingham and James Hill are still included in the squad.

Group stakes and tournament schedule

England trail Spain by three points in the group. A win would put England top, as they already hold a superior goal difference. The quarter-finals will be played over two legs in March. The semi-finals and final are scheduled for June.

Spain faces racism scrutiny

Spain’s federation was fined last month and told to stage its next friendly with part of the stadium closed. The penalty followed fans singing chants described as Islamophobic and xenophobic about Muslims during a match against Egypt.

Tuchel said the players might be informed about the protocol because of the precedent in Madrid. He also said, “Just like in England, there’s no racism in Spain. We aren’t racist, any of us.”