Villa boost for Spain as holders begin defence
Reuters - Monday 10 September 2012, 02:59
Favourites Spain start the
defence of their world title away to Georgia on Tuesday when
coach Vicente del Bosque will have another chance to test the
form of record marksman David Villa, recently returned from
eight months out with a broken leg.
The 30-year-old Barcelona striker, who sat out Spain's
triumphant Euro 2012 campaign, came off the bench to score in
his first game back for both club and country and his eye for
goal appears as sharp as ever.
His strike from the penalty spot in Friday's 5-0 friendly
victory against Saudi Arabia was his 52nd goal for his country
on his 83rd appearance and he told reporters afterwards the
surgery to repair his leg had been a complete success.
"I have not felt any concern since the first day I returned
to training seven weeks ago and there has been no problem since
the operation," Villa said.
"I am building up muscle tone, confidence and strength in my
movement," he added.
"I have been training a long time now and the body is
adapting but whether I can play from the beginning is a decision
for the coach."
Villa was an automatic starter for Del Bosque at the 2010
World Cup but without him at Euro 2012 the coach alternated
between playing Fernando Torres as a lone striker and using Cesc
Fabregas as a roving forward.
Villa's return adds another attacking option to a team who
have swept all before them since winning Euro 2008.
The world's top-ranked side are on a 22-match winning streak
in European Championship and World Cup qualifiers, last failing
to win in a 1-1 draw in Iceland in September 2007.
"Villa is a man who loves scoring goals," his in-form Barca
and Spain team mate Pedro, who netted twice against Saudi
Arabia, told a news conference on Saturday.
"We knew the injury was very serious but he has made a
spectacular recovery and he is continuing to build fitness,
confidence and rhythm."
France will likely be the main threat to the Spanish in
Group I, which is completed by Belarus and Finland.
France and Georgia are joint top on three points after they
won their opening qualifiers on Friday away to Finland and at
home to Belarus respectively.
Georgia were indebted to goalkeeper Giorgi Loria for keeping
the Belarussians at bay as Tornike Okriashvili scored the only
goal of the match six minutes into the second half in Tbilisi.