Vicente Del Bosque will today confirm Spain’s squad for the World Cup with it still unknown if Diego Costa will be included.
La Roja began their preparations in earnest on Friday evening with a 2-0 friendly win over Bolivia at Sevilla’s Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan.
There were no Real Madrid or Atletico Madrid players involved in the match after their exertions in the Champions League final a week ago while Ander Iturraspe and Gerard Deulofeu both made their debuts.
Iturraspe played the full 90 minutes in midfield while Deulofeu was a second-half substitute.
AS reports that Del Bosque has narrowed down his 30-man preliminary squad to 24 or 25 names, needing to trim to 23 as the party is announced at 13:00 Spanish time.
It’s claimed that the Coach will give Atletico striker Diego Costa every opportunity to prove his fitness for the squad and could take the Brazil-born forward even if a doubt remains over his availability.
Despite a good showing on his first appearance, Iturraspe could be one of those left out, along with Sevilla left-back Alberto Moreno and Jesus Navas.
Navas has been recovering from injury and may not be ready in time, while his Manchester City colleague Alvaro Negredo may also be left at home. Thiago Alcantara’s injury means he won’t be involved either.
If Costa doesn’t make it then Fernando Llorente will come into the reckoning – or Del Bosque could decide to take both Dani Carvajal and Juanfran, rather than choose between the two right-backs.
Deulofeu, who wasn’t named in the 30-man preliminary squad but called up instead for the Bolivia friendly, isn’t expected to be drafted into the 23.
Del Bosque is said to have considered naming his squad on Friday night but reportedly chose to wait until Saturday afternoon to have a more detailed medical report on some of the players in contention.
