Euro 2012 Team-by-Team Preview: Spain

31 May 2012 10:21
Manager: Vicente del Bosque

Group:
C

Bet-at-home odds:
3,50

Fixtures:
Italy (10/6) Ireland (14/6) Croatia (18/6)

Squad

Goalkeepers: Iker Casillas (Real Madrid), Pepe Reina, (Liverpool), Victor Valdes (Barcelona)
Defenders: Alvaro Arbeloa (Real Madrid), Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid), Juanfran (Atletico Madrid), Jordi Alba (Valencia), Raul Albiol (Real Madrid), Gerard Pique (Barcelona), Javi Martinez (Athletic Bilbao)
Midfielders: Xavi (Barcelona), Sergio Busquets (Barcelona), Andres Iniesta (Barcelona), Xabi Alonso (Real Madrid), David Silva (Manchester City), Santi Cazorla (Malaga), Cesc Fabregas (Barcelona), Juan Mata (Chelsea)
Forwards: Jesus Navas (Sevilla), Pedro (Barcelona), Fernando Llorente (Athletic Bilbao), Fernando Torres (Chelsea), Alvaro Negredo (Sevilla)

The current European and world champions are hoping to be the first team to achieve a Euro-World Cup-Euro back-to-back.

La Roja won all their eight matches in the qualifying round and along with Germany were the only teams to win all their matches.

The Spaniards have won the tournament twice, in 2008, and 44 years before that in 1964. In 1992 they didn't qualify.

Spain's top goalscorer David Villa is injured and ruled out for the tournament, del Bosque has had to find alternatives

Jordi Alba is the newest addition to La Roja. Valencia's Jordi Alba is likely to be a long term replacement for former Spain left back Joan Capdevila.

Source: DSG