Xavi out of Spain friendly with Italy
Reuters - Monday 08 August 2011, 14:03
MADRID - Barcelona midfielder Xavi has
dropped out of the Spain squad to play Italy in a friendly on
Wednesday after failing to recover from an injury to his right
calf.
Xavi was examined by federation doctors when the squad
assembled outside Madrid on Monday but was deemed unfit for the
match in Bari and will return to his club for treatment, the
Spanish football federation said in a statement.
He is the second player to withdraw from Vicente del
Bosque's team after Real Madrid defender Sergio Ramos, who has
sustained a back injury.
The world and European champions called up Malaga's Nacho
Monreal as a replacement for Ramos on Sunday but Del Bosque may
decide to make do with the players he has to cover the absence
in midfield.
The injuries to Xavi and Ramos put them in doubt for the
traditional curtain-raiser to the new La Liga season, the
two-legged Spanish Super Cup which starts on Sunday.
League champions Barca visit the Bernabeu and three days
later King's Cup holders Real travel for the second leg at the
Nou Camp.