Date:27/05/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/05/27/stories/2008052760041800.htm

Sport - Football

Spain begins training

Madrid: Spain’s national team began training on Monday for next month’s European Championship, which it seeks to win for the first time in 44 years.

Led in attack by Fernando Torres, prompted by skillful Arsenal midfielder Cesc Fabregas and protected by Real Madrid goalkeeper Iker Casillas, the Luis Aragones-coached team is ranked as one of the favourites.

The 23 players selected by Aragones will undertake double training sessions on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday before travelling south to Huelva for a friendly against Peru on Saturday.

Spain, which is undefeated in the past 14 games, plays another friendly against United States in the northern city of Santander on June 4.

Aragones’ team then kicks off in Group D against Russia on June 10 in Innsbruck, Austria.

It stays in Innsbruck for its game with Sweden on June 14, before facing defending champion Greece in the Austrian city of Salzburg four days later.

Spain is without its all-time top scorer, Raul Gonzalez, for the first major tournament since the 1996 European Championship.

Aragones withstood pressure to recall the Real Madrid captain. — AP