Spain head coach Vicente Del Bosque has made a number of surprise inclusions in his preliminary 21-man squad for Euro 2012.
Included in the squad are Benat Etxebarria from Real Betis, Isco of Malaga and Javi Garcia of Benfica, however many of these players can expect to be dropped after players from Chelsea, Barcelona and Athletic Bilbao have played in their upcoming finals.
Del Bosque will name his final squad for the Euros on May 27.
Barcelona defender Dani Alves has broken his collarbone in training and will miss the Copa del Rey final against Athletic Bilbao on May 25.
A statement on the Barcelona web site said:
During this Wednesday’s training session, Dani Alves suffered a broken collarbone and after initial treatment it was decided by the Club’s medical services that he will be operated on this evening at the Hospital de Barcelona by Doctor Carles Torrens.
Following the operation, at about 20.00, Doctors Ricard Pruna and Carles Torrens will give an updated medical report at a news conference at the Club.
Radamel Falcao has denied suggestions he could be on his way out of Atletico Madrid this summer despite their failure to qualify for the UEFA Champions League.
The Colombian enjoyed a hugely successful debut season in Spain, scoring 35 goals, 12 of which helped guide Atleti to their second UEFA Europa League triumph in three years, and he is hoping to build on that success in 2012/13.
He told Sport: “I am enjoying the moment with Atletico Madrid, I can’t waste that. Moreover, I have four more years on my contract and I am only thinking about this.
Jose Mourinho was unsurprisingly full of praise for his Real Madrid team on Sunday as his charges made La Liga history with their outstanding campaign.
The Spanish champions reached the 100-point mark in the league following the weekend’s 4-1 victory against Mallorca, breaking the competition’s record for the highest number of points in a single season.
“Our numbers are incredible and these kids will be remembered as the players who took 100 points. Winning titles is part of Real Madrid’s history.”
“We have to start working again because this club doesn’t allow you to rest after winning a title. It wants its tenth European Cup.”
Former Real Madrid striker Ruud van Nistelrooy has announced his decision to retire after opting not to renew his contract with Malaga.
The former Dutch international feels the time has come to end his superb career.
“Yesterday I’ve played my last match in my professional career,” he told reporters.
“I’ve had a great career with the support of great clubs like FC Den Bosch, sc Heerenveen, PSV, Manchester United, Real Madrid, Hamburger SV and Málaga. The time to quit my career has come.”
“I want to thank my family and friends, who’ve supported me all these years. As well as the supporters from the clubs I’ve played for. They have been great.
Real Madrid reached a record-breaking 100 La Liga points after an emphatic 4-1 win against Mallorca, while big spending Málaga secured a UEFA Champions League place thanks to a 1-0 win against Sporting Gijón.
Manuel Pellegrini’s Malaga went into today’s final round of games knowing that they simply needed a point to finish fourth and qualify for the Champions League next season. But they went two better than that when José Rondón’s 11th goal of the season secured all three and ended a run of two consecutive defeats.
While the title race has been decided, there is still the matter of a Champions League spot, two Europa League berths and two relegation places are to be claimed or avoided in what promises to be a nerve-wracking finale to the La Liga season on Sunday.
Here are some of the stories to follow Sunday in Spain.
Champions League Battle
Atletico Madrid, who beat Athletic Bilbao 3-0 to win the Europa League final on Wednesday, are eying a bigger prize for next season as they battle Malaga and Levante for Spain’s fourth and final Champions League place.
Atletico Madrid need to secure Champions League football next season if they are to hang on to striker Radamel Falcao, club president Miguel Angel Gil
The Colombia forward scored two stunning goals to help Atletico beat Athletic Bilbao 3-0 in the Europa League final on Wednesday, finishing the tournament as top scorer for the second season in a row, with 12 goals.
Atletico lie fifth in La Liga, two points short of fourth-placed Malaga in the last Champions League qualification berth, and visit relegation-threatened Villarreal in the final round of matches on Sunday.
Two goal from Radamel Falcao helped Atletico Madrid to a 3-0 win over fellow Spaniards Athletic Bilbao and their second UEFA Europa League trophy in three seasons.
Falcao, who also became the first player to win successive Europa League/UEFA Cups with different sides having scored the winning goal for Porto last season,opened the scoring on seven minutes with a spectacular goal, taking the ball into the box and curling the ball round three defenders and the keeper from the edge of the box for his 11th goal in 15 Europa League games this season.
Valencia have announced the appointment of former defender Mauricio Pellegrino as their new coach. The former assistant manager to Rafael Benitez at Liverpool and Inter Milan, Pellegrino has signed a two-year deal with Valencia.
Valencia president Manuel Llorente told the club’s official website:
“The board have signed and ratified the agreement reached this past Friday with Mauricio Pellegrini, who will be the first-team manager for the next two seasons.”
A Valencia spokesman had earlier revealed an approach had been made for Andre Villas-Boas but that the former Chelsea man had accepted a job elsewhere.
