Spain is searching for a striker to lead the team against Venezuela on Wednesday in its last match before coach Vicente del Bosque names his squad for the European Championship.
With all-time top scorer David Villa injured and struggling Chelsea striker Fernando Torres dropped for the first time in five years, Del Bosque has turned to Athletic Bilbao’s Fernando Llorente and Valencia’s Roberto Soldado for the friendly at La Rosaleda Stadium in Malaga.
Villa and Torres may still make the squad for Euro 2012 in Poland and Ukraine. But if not, Wednesday’s game could be a tryout for a starter come this summer when Spain aims to become the first World Cup winner to defend its European title.
“I really wanted to be back on the team,” said Soldado, whose last appearance for Spain came in 2007. “For a striker, the goals make the difference whether you get the call up or not. I know the competition will be tough and that after the game with Venezuela there are three months to go which will determine if I go to the Euros or not.”
Llorente and Soldado have each scored 20 goals in all competitions for their clubs this season, but questions remain over who is the better fit for Spain’s passing game modelled on Barcelona’s style of play.
“We know that when an important player falls from the team, someone else benefits,” Del Bosque said. “Although we have experimented with playing without a pure striker, we always have someone up front; Negredo, Torres, Llorente … this variety is positive for us.”
While Spain’s stock of strikers diminished more when Sevilla’s Alvaro Negredo was ruled out on Monday with a muscle injury, Del Bosque will likely compensate by loading his starting 11 with creative attacking players.
Del Bosque can choose from Barcelona’s Andres Iniesta and Cesc Fabregas, Manchester City’s David Silva, Chelsea’s Juan Mata and 19-year-old Bilbao forward Iker Muniain, called up to his first senior squad.
Muniain recently scored both of Bilbao’s goals against Lokomotiv Moscow to set up a meeting with Manchester United in the Europa League.
“We have seen it for some time now that the coach believes in young players, and for us it is very important,” said Muniain, one of four Bilbao players to make the squad. “Maybe it seems that all this is going too fast since I am still very young, but I try to stay calm.”
Besides preparing for this summer, Del Bosque can also set a new record.
The former Real Madrid manager is one goal away from matching Javier Clemente as the coach who has guided the national team to the highest number of goals. Clemente, the current Sporting Gijon coach, saw Spain score 126 goals in 62 games from the sideline. Spain has scored 125 goals in 51 games since Del Bosque took over following its 2008 European title.
Venezuela will be looking to avenge its 3-0 loss to the world champions last summer at home in Puerto La Cruz. That was the last friendly Spain won. While winning all eight of its qualifying matches for the upcoming European Championship, Spain has drawn with Costa Rica and lost to England and Italy since then.
“Years ago Venezuela wasn’t a major team and now it is vying to classify for the World Cup,” Del Bosque said. “Venezuela is a good rival for us considering what lies ahead.”
Malaga striker Jose Rondon will lead Venezuela along with Nicolas “Miku” Fedor, who also plays in Spain’s top flight for Getafe.
Bilbao defender Fernando Amorebieta, who was born in Venezuela to Basque parents, is doubtful with a left foot injury.
After Del Bosque releases his final squad in May, Spain will play a warmup against China and at least one other friendly before heading to the European Championship from June 8-July 1.
