© EuroFootball.com
Spain's national football team coach Inaki Saezas decided not to take any risks and instead of the injured Michel Salgado, he decided to take "Deportivo" defender Joan Capdevila to Portugal. These changes were made in the final list of 23 players who will travel to Portugal.
Salgado suffered an injury during Spain's national team training camp in Las Rozas on Tuesday and, according to doctors, should recover in ten or fifteen days, but Saezas decided not to take any risks and invited Capdevila instead.
The 26-year-old Capdevila, who has represented the Spanish national team three times, usually plays as a left-back in "Deportivo", but it is believed that he will have to play as a central defender in the national team.
With Salgado out of the team, the majority of players in the national team are from the Spanish champions "Valencia" - a total of five players. Football experts were slightly surprised by Saezas' decision to take the out-of-form Raul to Portugal this season instead of the top scorers in the Spanish league, Raul Tamudo from "Espanyol" and Mista from "Valencia".
Spain's national team lineup:
Goalkeepers
Iker Casillas (Real Madrid CF)
Santiago Canizares (Valencia CF)
Daniel Aranzubia (Athletic Club Bilbao)
Defenders
Carlos Marchena (Valencia CF)
Carles Puyol (FC Barcelona)
Raul Bravo (Real Madrid CF)
Cesar Martin (RC Deportivo La Coruna)
Ivan Helguera (Real Madrid CF)
Joan Capdevila (RC Deportivo La Coruna)
Juanito Gutierrez (Real Betis Balompie)
Gabri Garcia (FC Barcelona)
Midfielders
David Albelda (Valencia CF)
Ruben Baraja (Valencia CF)
Vicente Rodriguez (Valencia CF)
Joaquin Sanchez (Real Betis Balompie)
Juan Carlos Valeron (RC Deportivo La Coruna)
Xabi Alonso (Real Sociedad de Futbol)
Xavi Hernandez (FC Barcelona)
Joseba Etxeberria (Athletic Club Bilbao)
Forwards
Fernando Morientes (AS Monaco FC)
Raul Gonzalez (Real Madrid CF)
Fernando Torres (Club Atletico de Madrid)
Albert Luque (RC Deportivo La Coruna)
