Spain coach defends decision to call up seven Barcelona players
2010 Fifa World Cup-winning manager Vicente del Bosque has defended his decision to name seven Barcelona players in his Spain squad to face Mexico in a friendly next week.
Barca sporting director Andoni Zubizarreta has slammed the move, saying his club’s players will not be fit having not yet begun their pre-season training program. The match also takes place in Mexico just three days before his club will face Sevilla in the first leg of the Spanish Super Cup.
'Moral obligation'
Del Bosque told a press conference at the Spanish Football Federation’s base outside Madrid that he had a “moral obligation to serve” his country by fielding a strong team - despite there being nothing other than pride at stake. He said that: "The selection is always comprised of the best that will represent the country and we are currently world champions. Those called up are all in very good physical condition and are capable of playing."
The coach denied that there had been any approach by Barca to the Spanish Federation to ask that their players be left out of the squad. He added that: "We are quite considerate and sensitive to the demands of all clubs because it has to be like that. There have been no requests from Barcelona in any sense . . . and we have had no contact with them."
The Barca players selected for the match include star midfielder Xavi Hernandez, club captain Carles Puyol and new signing David Villa. Liverpool forward Fernando Torres is recovering from a hamstring injury while Andreas Iniesta, the man who scored the winner in the World Cup final, is being allowed to recover from his exertions in South Africa.
Regular squad men Pepe Reina and Raul Albiol have also been ruled out. Villarreal’s defensive midfielder Bruno Soriano has received his first call-up while recalls were handed to Villareal attacking midfielder Santi Cazorla and Osasuna defender Nacho Monreal, neither of whom were selected for the World Cup.
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