Madrid (Spain), Oct 13 (NationPress) - A victory against Bulgaria on Tuesday could almost guarantee Spain's spot in next summer's FIFA World Cup, yet coach Luis de la Fuente faces another setback with an injured player.

The Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) has announced that forward Ferran Torres has exited the lineup due to "problems" assessed by the RFEF medical team, revealing a muscle strain without any anatomical injury.

According to a statement, "Ferran Torres has been ruled out for the match against Bulgaria, the fourth qualifying game for the 2026 World Cup in Valladolid. The FC Barcelona striker reported muscle discomfort following his match against Georgia in Elche, prompting evaluations by the RFEF medical team, which diagnosed a muscle overload without associated anatomical injury."

Ferran is the latest to withdraw from the squad, joining Real Madrid defender Dean Huijsen, who left due to muscle fatigue, and Dani Olmo, who is suffering from a calf injury. Additionally, Lamine Yamal and Rodri were also sidelined shortly after De la Fuente announced his squad, as reported by Xinhua.

Despite these challenges, Spain achieved a decisive victory against Georgia on Saturday, showcasing talent from players like Yeremy Pino, Pablo Barrios, and Alex Baena.

With three wins from three qualifying matches, Spain leads the group by three points over Turkiye, whom they defeated 6-0 in September.

Bulgaria currently sits at the bottom of the standings with three losses and 12 goals conceded, including a 3-0 defeat at home to Spain, and suffered a 6-1 loss to Turkey on Saturday. In contrast, Spain has scored 11 goals without conceding any.

One of De la Fuente's pressing concerns is the pressure from clubs, particularly Barcelona, following injuries to Yamal, Ferran, and Olmo during international duty. Consequently, the coach is likely to implement squad rotation, with players such as Baena and defender Aymeric Laporte potentially stepping into the starting eleven.