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Might misfiring Torres miss out on Euro 2012?
In our latest post on Spanish soccer, Mark Elkington in Madrid raises the prospect of out-of-sorts striker Fernando Torres missing out on the Euro 2012 finals as competition for places heats up.
Fierce competition for places in Spain’s frontline for Euro 2012 has increased the pressure on misfiring Chelsea striker Fernando Torres.
Some are even suggesting the hero of Spain’s triumph at Euro 2008 may not even make the squad for the tournament in Poland and Ukraine next year and have speculated coach Vicente del Bosque could pick strikers including Alvaro Negredo (pictured) and Fernando Llorente ahead of the former Liverpool man.
The world and continental champions thrashed Liechtenstein 6-0 on Tuesday to qualify for the finals, but Torres was left to watch from the stands as David Villa, Spain’s all-time top scorer, and Negredo both netted doubles.
“There were ten players who didn’t play,” Del Bosque said when asked afterwards about the surprise decision to leave Torres out.
“He is an important player but the people selected for the national team are those who do well for their clubs, not the other way round.”
Torres has scored 27 goals for Spain, including the winner in their 1-0 Euro 2008 final victory over Germany, but was short of match fitness after injury and contributed little to last year’s victorious World Cup finals campaign.
Salmantinos hail local hero Del Bosque
Vicente del Bosque has been given a welcome more befitting a rock star than a soccer coach in his native Salamanca this week, where his World Cup-winning Spain team play Lithuania in a Euro 2012 qualifier.
Thousands of cheering and screaming Salmantinos, as locals are known, packed the modest Helmantico stadium on Thursday to hail the mild-mannered 59-year-old and watch their heroes such as captain Iker Casillas train for Friday’s Group I match.
Hundreds more were waiting on Friday morning in a queue snaking around the stunning main square of the Castilian city to have their photographs taken next to the World Cup and European Championship trophies on display in a marquee.
“He is a reference point for the whole city and the number one Salmantino,” said Jesus Jimenez, a 66-year-old retired plumber near the back of the queue.
“He is a marvel and we don’t have a bad word to say about him. He has done a huge amount to promote our city.”
Del Bosque was named a “favourite son” of the university town last month after engineering Spain’s first World Cup triumph and also had a street named after him.
He was last on to the pitch at the Helmantico on Thursday and the crowd’s reaction was reminiscent of a raucous Beatles concert rather than a light training session for Spain’s first home match since the World Cup.
Spain suffer Argentine embarrassment but write them off at your peril
Trying to read anything into Spain’s 4-1 defeat in Argentina is tough considering it was a friendly. Did the world champions take it too lightly? Was Del Bosque right to field Pepe Reina in goal with fringe players Nacho Monreal, Alvaro Arbeloa and Carlos Marchena in the back four for a match that was never going to be that ‘friendly’?
Or was it that Argentina really got it together under new coach Sergio Batista?
Spain started poorly conceding two goals in the first 13 minutes and the third came after an embarrassing slip from Reina in the 34th, but they responded well in the second half and hit the woodwork three times overall.
Surely the only conclusions that can be drawn will be after the next couple of matches for both sides.
If Spain stumble at home to Lithuania or away to Scotland in their next Euro 2012 qualifiers it could be argued the defeat had dented their aura of invincibility or that their confidence had been knocked.
Spain’s style of football, similar to that of Barcelona’s, is high-risk if you do not display the mental and physical sharpness required to maintain possession in the face of a harrying, motivated opponent, who has the ability to break quickly.
Let’s face it, this game meant much more to Argentina. After their disappointing showing at the World Cup finals in South Africa they were seeking redemption in front of their own fans.
Time for Spain coach Del Bosque to reward Valdes?
It’s hard to believe Barcelona goalkeeper Victor Valdes has yet to win a cap for Spain and that he isn’t even in the running for the World Cup finals this summer.
The 28-year-old has been Barca’s number one since the 2003-4 season and was a fundamental cog in Pep Guardiola’s Barca machine that swept to an unprecedented six trophies last year.
He has two European Champions League and three La Liga titles to his name and the best statistics this season in the Spanish top flight with only 10 goals conceded in 19 games.
Valdes, who looks like a U.S. Marine with his imposing bulk and shaven head, was on top form again on Saturday, making a string of important saves against Real Valladolid before Barca broke out to win 3-0.
“He’s been playing very well for many years now. He’s getting better day by day,” Guardiola said.
“In Tenerife (two weeks ago) he saved us and he has done it again here.”
The problem for Valdes is that European champions Spain have an embarrassment of goalkeeping riches.
am sorry for valdes, some player in England too fail to make it in the midfeild as they are blessed with talented midfielders…congratulation to Rooney hes gettin there..
Spain’s ’21st century gladiators’ do Merida proud
Spain’s qualification for next year’s World Cup finals in South Africa has brought a welcome distraction to a nation suffering more than most of its European peers from the economic crisis.
Wednesday’s 3-0 win over Estonia put the European champions through as Group Five winners and Vicente del Bosque’s highly-fancied side will be competing in their ninth straight finals since 1978 and attempting to win the World Cup for the first time.
The Spanish FA (RFEF) opted to play the Estonia qualifier in the ancient Roman city of Merida, capital of the struggling Extremadura region, and the local fans gave star players like Fernando Torres, David Villa and Iker Casillas a hero’s welcome.
Hundreds turned out in the blazing sunshine to welcome the players at their hotel on Tuesday afternoon and the 15,000-seater Estadio Romano was packed with boisterous fans for both Tuesday’s evening’s training session and the match.
Unemployment in Extremadura, the dusty region between Madrid and Portugal, is running at more than 20 percent compared with around 18 percent in Spain as a whole and the scores of empty shops in Merida, which boasts some of the world’s best-preserved ancient Roman ruins, are a stark reminder of economic hardship.
“We want to use the Estonia match to promote Merida and Extremadura,” city mayor Angel Calle said. “We will welcome the players as if they were 21st-century gladiators.”
The RFEF policy of playing matches away from major centres like Madrid and Seville is much appreciated by Merida locals, who rarely, if ever, get a chance to see star players in the flesh.
Villa is certainly outshining him in all areas and Villa can also play out wide if needed which Torres cant