Victor Valdes to start against Scotland at expense of http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Pepe-Reina-c29672
http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Vicente-c36001 del Bosque has decided to rest captain Iker Casillas for La Furia Roja’s final Euro 2012 qualifying match. If reports are to be believed, Victor Valdes has been given the nod ahead of Pepe Reina and will start against Scotland.
It would be Valdes’ first official start for Spanish national team against http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Ukraine-c3032.
Reina has now moved down the pecking order for the first time, losing out his position to the Catalan goalkeeper.
The http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Uruguay-c3035 in 2005. However, he has failed to add significant appearances since then, with his tally standing at 23 appearances since his debut as a twenty-two year old.
Reina has been called up to the national squad an overwhelming 94 times, starting 16 matches and making 7 substitute appearances. Furthermore, he has completed 90 minutes of action in only 11 games.
His last minutes with La Roja came in the 3-2 friendly win over http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Switzerland-c3016 last month, a second half cameo appearance where he replaces Casillas.
Interestingly, Valdes received his maiden call-up in Pepe’s debut game. He then spent time on the sidelines, with Santiago Canizares, Andres Palop and http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Diego-c11058 Lopez taking the third place.
Valdes’ record is far less extensive as compared to his older compatriot. The Barcelona number one got his first call in 2005 but did not make his debut appearance until last year. He took his formal bow in a 1-0 win over South Korea, coming on to replace
Reina in the second half of the match.
The Catalan custodian has played in four more games since then but is yet to complete a whole match for the national team. In 27 call-ups to date, he has a solitary start to his name.
Valdes last appeared for La Roja in the 2-1 friendly defeat to http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Italy-c2926 at Bari in August 2011.
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