Author Topic: (World Cup) Spain 23 Announced  (Read 149 times)

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(World Cup) Spain 23 Announced
« on: May 20, 2010, 09:22:37 AM »
Goalkeepers: Iker Casillas (Real Madrid), Jose Manuel 'Pepe' Reina (Liverpool), Victor Valdes (Barcelona).

Defenders: Raul Albiol (Real Madrid), Alvaro Arbeloa (Real Madrid), Joan Capdevila (Villarreal), Carlos Marchena (Valencia), Gerard Pique (Barcelona), Carles Puyol (Barcelona), Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid).

Midfielders: Xabier Alonso (Real Madrid), Sergio Busquets (Barcelona), Cesc Fabregas (Arsenal), Andres Iniesta (Barcelona), Javier Martinez (Athletic Bilbao), David Silva (Valencia), Xavi Hernandez (Barcelona).

Forwards: Jesus Navas (Sevilla), Juan Manuel Mata (Valencia), Pedro Rodriguez (Barcelona), Fernando Llorente (Athletic Bilbao), Fernando Torres (Liverpool), David Villa (Valencia).

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Euro 2008 winner Marcos Senna has been left out of Spain's final 23-man squad for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

The Brazilian-born midfielder has been suffering with injuries, playing only eight games for Villarreal this season.

Spain boss Vicente del Bosque has named three uncapped players in Barcelona's Victor Valdes and Pedro, and Javi Martinez of Athletic Bilbao.

Cesc Fabregas, Andres Iniesta and Fernando Torres are all included despite suffering injuries.

Arsenal playmaker Fabregas suffered a cracked fibula in Arsenal's 2-2 Champions League quarter-final first-leg tie against Barcelona in March, while Liverpool striker Torres is recovering from knee surgery.

However, Del Bosque is confident the duo, along with Barcelona midfielder Iniesta (leg), will be back to full fitness before the start of Spain's World Cup Group H campaign against Switzerland in Durban on 16 June.

"We have a very vigilant recovery programme for them," said Del Bosque, whose side face Saudi Arabia, South Korea and Poland in pre-tournament friendlies.

"All the information we've received has been positive and they should be 100% for the tournament."

Valdes makes the cut after a fine season for European champions Barcelona.

With captain and Real Madrid number one Iker Casillas and Liverpool's Pepe Reina Spain's first and second choices between the posts, Del Bosque chose the 28-year-old Valdes ahead of Villarreal's Diego Lopez and Atletico Madrid's Gea, 19.

Barca's 22-year-old youth product Pedro has forced himself into the World Cup reckoning with 22 goals in all competitions for the Catalan giants - one of those on his 'El Classico' debut last month as Barca beat bitter rivals Real Madrid 2-0.

Bilbao's Fernando Llorente was selected ahead of Fenerbache striker Dani Guiza, who had been a regular the past two seasons and was on the Euro 2008 team.

"We included other players who had very good seasons," added Del Bosque.

Barcelona midfield star Xavi is also included after recently returning to the first-team fold with the La Liga leaders following the leg injury he sustained at the beginning of May.

There is also a place for in-form Sevilla winger Jesus Navas, who earlier in his career retired from international football because he suffered travel anxiety attacks.

Senna's club team-mate Santi Cazorla, another Euro 2008 winner, was another to miss out having only started nine games for Villarreal this season.

Hotly touted 19-year-old attackers Bojan Krkic, of Barcelona, and Racing Santander's Sergio Canales both missed out of Del Bosque's provisional squad of 30, along with the country's veteran record scorer Raul.

As well as the Swiss, Spain will face Chile and Honduras in Group H.
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