Greece 2-3 Spain

[Pat Murphy]

Friendly takes place on August 22nd in Salonica, Greece


Aragonés Names Squad For Greek Outing

Luis Aragonés has included Pablo Ibañez and Juanito for the friendly against Greece next week, as Carles Puyol and Javi Navarro as re still injured.

Mariano Pernía has also been recalled to the squad to bolster the defence, while Valencia are the most represented club with no less than six players included.

Los Che´'s participation in the Champions League qualifiers this week has meant that their pre-season is ahead of schedule and Aragonés was happy to use that.

"They are the team with the most Spanish players," the coach explained. "I look for players who in form and Valencia are at a different level to every one else.

Fernando Torres is also included and Aragonés has been keeping a close eye on the player during his opening games for Liverpool.

"I know how Torres players and I know that he is adapting to a different style of play. But that is the way it is.

"Torres is a very quick player and has played many times at international level."

Spain squad:
Casillas (Real Madrid), Reina (Liverpool); Pernía (Atlético Madrid), Ibañez (Atlético Madrid), Marchena (Valencia), Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid), Juanito (Real Betis); Fàbregas (Arsenal), Iniesta (Barcelona), Xavi (Barcelona), Alonso (Liverpool), Angulo (Valencia), Silva (Valencia), Albelda (Valencia), Joaquin (Valencia); Villa (Valencia), Torres (Liverpool), Luís Garcia (Espanyol)

Goal.com - Spain - Aragonés Names Squad For Greek Outing


Valencia have 6 players in, the nearest clubs are Liverpool, Barcelona, Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid and they all only have 2 each.

[jec1]

Good luck, Greece likes to play that defensive trap.

[Pat Murphy]

Spain could get beaten if they don't take their chances and fold defensively again. I'd give Greece a very good chance of winning this one.

I think the squad looks better tho than it usually does. I'd call up 14 of the 18 if I was Spain boss.

[Dellas]

we do have a chance of winning tho the previous results aren't really in our favour. Your squad is so strong that I really expect you guys to cause us a lot of problems.

[Pat Murphy]

Greece-Spain Could Be Called Off Due To Disgraceful Pitch

You know a pitch is bad when even the home coach admits it. Coach Otto Rehhagel of Greece and Luis Aragones of Spain have both criticised the state of the turf - one more than the other - as Greece prepare to welcome Spain to the PAOK "Toumba" Stadium in Thessaloniki. It's so bad, the match might not even go ahead...

Luis Aragones blasted the state of the Toumba Stadium's pitch after inspecting the turf ahead of tonight's planned friendly between his Spain side and hosts Greece.

"It's been a long time since I saw a pitch that bad," he blared. "It's worrying, because the risk of injury is heavily multiplied on such a field.

"It's just not fit for playing. It is dangerous."

He indicated that he'd rather see the game suspended than have the possibility of injury take place.

"We know that an international match is hard to postpone, but it's not worth playing it on this pitch. We'll see what happens, but it's just not worth an injury," he added.

His players queued up to agree, each anxious to remain fit ahead of the Liga opener this weekend.

"I hope logic reigns here," sniffed Xavi, while Andres Palop added, "I'm surprised at the pitch. It's impassable. We will need to avoid injuries. The Liga is imminent and risk is at its highest when the turf is like this."

Mariano Pernia echoed his boss' earlier words, saying he'd "never seen a pitch like it since [he] was a kid."

The Greek FA, to their credit, actually responded in a similar vein.

Often, host countries will do their utmost to see the game go ahead, even on a poor pitch, but the Hellenic Football Federation is reportedly furious that PAOK Thessaloniki allowed their pitch to decay in such a fashion.

Coach Otto Rehhagel admitted, "Of course, I feel the pitch isn't in a good condition, and I can only hope that it improves."

Spain have injury problems in defence while Greece face casualties in attack ahead of tonight's friendly clash.

Goal.com

Goal.com - Spain - Greece-Spain Could Be Called Off Due To Disgraceful Pitch

[Pat Murphy]

Aragones Pleased After "Extraordinary" Win

Spain coach Luis Aragones was happy after his team came back to beat Greece 3-2 on a very poor pitch.

Spain had to come from behind twice through Valencia men Carlos Marchena and David Silva, before the latter scored a late winner, and Luis Aragones was happy with what he saw.

"Everybody knows that this was a pitch on which it was virtually impossible to play good football," said the Spain coach.

"However, all of us put in an effort, and the attitude of the Spanish as well as the Greek players has been extraordinary.

"In addition, we were fortunate enough to not pick up any injuries."

"The goals we conceded were as a result of defensive errors," he continued. "However, we picked ourselves up and responded well against a very difficult team.

"I have to credit my team for the extraordinary result on this pitch, particularly because Greece are a good team."

Goal.com

Goal.com - Spain - Aragones Pleased After "Extraordinary" Win


David Silva scores 2 and Marchena 1.

[jec1]

Greece-Spain Could Be Called Off Due To Disgraceful Pitch

Haha, Did anybody see the Armenia vs portugal game? That pitch was awful. It felt like a ping-pong table. What makes it even worse it was a euro qualifier match.

No team should play under those conditions when there is so uch on the line.