Source: Eurosport
Terry relishing 'big' Spain test
John Terry feels Wednesday's showdown with European champions Spain will provide the sternest test yet to Fabio Capello's England revolution.England travel to Seville with confidence and optimism high following a hugely impressive start to Capello's reign, which has seen the Three Lions go from Euro 2008 qualifying failures to one of the continent's most in-form sides.However, on Wednesday they will come up against a team who are arguably a cut above any other national side on the planet.Not only did Spain conquer Europe last summer and take over as FIFA's number one ranked team, but they are also on a remarkable 28-match unbeaten run, 26 of which have ended in victories.It promises to be as tough a challenge as England have faced in the last few years, and Terry for one is under no illusions just how hard it could be at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan stadium.When asked at Tuesday's pre-match press conference if he thought it was England's biggest test to see how far they had come under Capello, the Chelsea centre-back said: "I think so. I think we're moving in the right direction with our recent performances and our recent results. We're playing very well, but this is a big test against one of the best sides in the world."They've proved that with the quality they have throughout their squad, players like Xavi, (Fernando) Torres, David Villa, (Carles) Puyol, fantastic players who can keep the ball and frustrate teams."Terry was an unused substitute the last time England met Spain two years ago at Old Trafford.Then, a solitary Andres Iniesta strike in the second half earned Spain their first win on English soil since 1981, and was actually the start of the Iberian nation's current long unbeaten run.Terry remembers the game well."I think we found out the last time that they keep the ball very well and it's hard to get the ball back, so we need to make sure we don't give the ball away too easily. When we get it we attack and not to be too scared of them," he said.Terry also believes that Spain's recent resurgence to the top of the international pile can serve as an inspiration and a lesson to England.Spain's success at Euro 2008 came after 44 years without a major trophy, during which time the Iberian nation had been saddled with the unenviable reputation of being a side which never fulfilled their obvious potential and as one of chokers on the biggest stage.Now that Spain have put all that behind them, the spotlight has intensified on England and their quest for international glory, and Terry feels a few lessons can be taken from them."We can learn an awful lot. Seeing the changes they've made, the spirit they've got," he said."Watching the Euros they seemed very together, that's something that we're trying to achieve here and something we believe we've got and that's moving forward very fast."But you look at their team spirit and the way they move and fight for each other, that's something that goes a long way on and off the pitch, and that's something we are trying to build with the England squad."[LNB]
