Torres may receive Poland run-out
MADRID - Fernando Torres may get some playing time in Spain's World Cup warm-up with Poland on Tuesday as the Liverpool striker continues his recovery from knee surgery, coach Vicente Del Bosque said.
Torres was the only player in Del Bosque's 23-man squad to miss the European champions' games against Saudi Arabia and South Korea over the past week, with injury concerns Cesc Fabregas and Andres Iniesta close to full fitness.
"We have a positive feeling, even though it will be tight," Del Bosque said of Torres after Spain's 1-0 win over the Koreans in Innsbruck on Thursday.
"I hope he can have some time on the pitch against Poland but we are not surprised about his condition as we knew the risk we were taking when we selected him. I am confident he'll be fit for the World Cup," he told a news conference.
"The positive news is the recovery of Cesc and Iniesta and that 22 of the 23 squad members have played."
Arsenal captain Fabregas, who missed the end of the Premier League season after cracking a bone in his leg, said the intensity of Spain's pre-World Cup training regime had left him feeling slightly heavy-legged.
"Coming back from injury there have been a lot of training sessions and the legs are feeling it," Fabregas, who is seeking a move back to his former club Barcelona, told reporters.
"I still need minutes on the pitch to get back my rhythm but the overall feeling is good."
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Spain, one of the favourites to win the tournament in South Africa starting on June 11, play Poland in Murcia on Tuesday in their final tune-up before their Group H opener against Switzerland in Durban on June 16.
Del Bosque said the pre-tournament training camp had gone perfectly so far.
"We have met the objectives ... perfectly and everything is on track," he said.
"It's also positive that the three debutants slotted in," he added, referring to Barcelona goalkeeper Victor Valdes, Barca forward Pedro and Athletic Bilbao midfielder Javi Martinez.
Spain's two other Group H matches are against Honduras in Johannesburg on June 21 and Chile in Pretoria on June 25.