Real Madrid
midfielder Guti has dropped out of the Spain squad for Wednesday's
friendly against Ivory Coast because of a thigh strain. Spain will also
be without Valencia midfielder Ruben Baraja who was forced to withdraw
after fracturing his cheekbone during a 1-1 draw against Getafe on
Sunday. Arsenal youngster Francesc Fabregas and Villarreal's
Brazilian-born midfielder Marcos Senna were given their first call-ups.
Deportivo Coruna left back Joan Capdevila and Real Madrid midfielder
Guti were recalled by coach Luis Aragones. Chelsea defender Asier del
Horno was dropped. Captain and leading scorer Raul was also left out as
he has not yet played a full match for Real Madrid since returning from
a three-month injury lay-off.
Ivory Coast have
handed a surprise call up to Lazio midfielder Christian Manfredini.
Coach Henri Michel has also given a first call up to keeper Stephan
Loboue, who plays for German second division front runners Paderborn,
and recalled four other players left out of the squad for last month's
African Nations Cup in Egypt. Seydou Kante, Tchiressoa Guel, Abdelkader
Keita and Kandia Traore all returning.
Spain :
coach Luis Aragones
Goalkeepers: Iker Casillas (Real Madrid), Pepe Reina (Liverpool)
Defenders: Carles Puyol (Barcelona), Carlos Marchena (Valencia),
Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid), Pablo Ibanez (Atletico Madrid), Juanito
(Real Betis), Michel Salgado (Real Madrid), Joan Capdevilla (Deportivo
Coruna), Antonio Lopez (Atletico Madrid),
Midfielders: Xabi Alonso (Liverpool), Luis Garcia (Liverpool),
David Albelda (Valencia), Marcos Senna (Villarreal), Cesc Fabregas
(Arsenal), Ruben Baraja (Valencia), Guti (Real Madrid), Joaquin (Real
Betis)
Forwards: Fernando Torres (Atletico Madrid), David Villa
(Valencia), Jose Antonio Reyes (Arsenal), Fernando Morientes (Liverpool)
Ivory Coast: Coach Henri Michel
Goalkeepers: Boubacar Barry (Beveren, Belgium), Stephan Loboue
(SC Paderborn, Germany), Jean-Jacques Tizie (Esperance, Tunisia)
Defenders: Arthur Boka (Racing Strasbourg, France), Cyrille
Domoraud (Creteil, France), Emmanuel Eboue (Arsenal, England), Seydou
Kante (Beveren, Belgium), Blaise Kossi Kouassi (Troyes, France),
Abdoulaye Meite (Olympique Marseille, France), Kolo Toure (Arsenal,
England)
Midfielders: Kanga Akale (AJ Auxerre, France), Emerse Fae
(Nantes, France), Tchiressoa Guel (Lorient, France), Christian
Manfredini (Lazio, Italy), Christian Koffi Ndri (Le Mans, France), Gneri
Yaya Toure (Olympiakos Piraeus, Greece), Didier Zokora (St Etienne,
France)
Strikers: Didier Drogba (Chelsea, England), Bonaventure Kalou (Paris
St Germain, France), Abdelkader Keita (Lille, France), Arouna Kone (PSV
Eindhoven, Netherlands), Bakary Kone (Nice, France), Kandia Traore (Le
Havre, France).
Referee:
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