will be an interesting match, i feel both teams have pretty much equal ability, it all depends how each manager rotates his team!
I think England is the more settled team - still, I don't know if Eriksson is going to make wholesale changes, given that this is a friendly. Does anyone know how many substitutes will be allowed in this game? I thought FIFA rules had been changed to limit the number, but don't know if it's come into effect yet. rmnews.blogspot.com
Not sure who's getting the nod for England yet. Looks like Spain is going with these guys. Any reason why Valeron wasn't included? And Baraja? Casillas (Real Madrid CF), Cañizares (Valencia CF), Puyol (FC Barcelona), Salgado (Real Madrid CF), Del Horno (Athletic Club Bilbao), Helguera (Real Madrid CF), Marchena (Valencia CF), Romero (RC Deportivo La Coruña), Pablo (Club Atlético de Madrid), Xavi (FC Barcelona), Xabi Alonso (Liverpool FC), Angulo (Valencia CF), Guti (Real Madrid CF), Joaquín (Real Betis Balompié), Raúl (Real Madrid CF), Torres (Club Atlético de Madrid), Luque (RC Deportivo La Coruña), Reyes (Arsenal FC).
Interesting to see Guti replacing Baraja, i've always wanted to see others given a chance in his position. But Angulo for Vicente? Talk about a major backward step. Yeste should be in the squad without question. He might have even had a shout to start the game. Typically strange selection policy from a Spain coach in this area. But at least the rest have strong claims to be there.
I'd like to see this... Raul Reyes Luque Xabi Alonso Xavi Joaquin Del Horno Marchena Puyol Salgado Casillas But I have a feeling Aragones is going to give a nod to Guti, the game being in the Bernabeu and all.
Salgado: my debt to Margate The first football kit he was ever given was a Luton Town shirt, he beams proudly as he reveals that his sister-in-law is from York and he honed his skills on Margate beach. Tomorrow night he will run out at the Santiago Bernabéu, relishing the prospect of a stadium full of Englishmen. And yet he will be wearing red and yellow, not the white of England. The Real Madrid and Spain right-back Michel Salgado certainly is an unusual footballer: the most anglicised of Spaniards, fluent in English, an avid viewer of the Premiership and a genuine friend to David Beckham. http://football.guardian.co.uk/News_Story/0,1563,1352248,00.html
i just watch the end of 1st half (im watching ecuador-brasil), damn whats wrong with this ashley cole? so violent, i think he deserved a red! just look at what he did to torres, then salgado, lastly raul..
You know who deserves a red? the people in the crowd who are making monkey noises at the black players. It's a disgrace and it's a black mark on spanish football. If I were FIFA I would make Spain play their next world cup qualifier at home in an empty stadium so people get the message.
Spanish announcers are criticizing the behavior of those idiots, sayng that they can't believe this is going on in this day and age. As a fan of Spain I can say that thatscum deserve to get thrown so far out of the stadium and an ass kicking like they never recieved before.
Im watching the game on TVEi, and the announcers here have ignored the crowd chants completely. Must be a different broadcast from yours?
well we shouldn't paint a broad stroke like that on Spain, but it was a large enough chunk were pathetic. Fifa needs to nip this in the bud immediately. There is no place for this kind of behaviour in society much less a Football match. Like I suggested before. I think their next home qualifier should be behind closed doors. If it continues then the next 2 and so on.
Well credit to the Marca announcers then... The TVEi announcers are still stroking themselves about how "great" Spain played. Maybe they were the ones making the chants... What can you guys say about racism in la Liga? Is it prevalent? Maybe it's me but I never really noticed a racial issue in Spanish soccer...
so thats what happen. i didnt know becoz i only see that part which i posted, i havent even see the goal. strange tho becoz this is just a friendly match.
It's too bad these mother-*** had to overshadow todays match. I didn't watch the game and am kind of glad I didn't. I remember about 1 year ago I think, that the Catalan national team were playing Brazil and some fans were burning the Spanish national flag. I couldn't believe it. I for one do not want Spain to play in an empty stadium but if the LFP doesn't submit a formal apology or try and find out who these creeps were maybe Spain should play behind closed doors.