EURO 2008 INFO

For the European Championships to be held in Austria and Switzerland this summer, the Spanish coach Luis Aragones hopes to disprove the reputation of perennial losers his team.

Since it won the European Championship in 1964, La Furia Roja did not go beyond the quarter-finals in six European Championships and 12 World Cups. And while this time, Spain addresses the tournament with a solid back line and a serious competition in the field in attack, a question remains: can it realize its potential?

PLÉTHORE OF BUTEURS

A track record of eight wins out of its last nine matches has propelled the qualification Spain at the top of its group, while the 4-5-1, the formation of choice for Aragones, made wonders. Valencia striker David Villa, placed in a point, scored seven goals, winning 1261 points and finishing 18th in the classification of the top 20 attackers. He could finish higher but it does scored only four goals in the last seven matches, in which the list was prepared, and this against small teams which has further slowed his ascent in the overall standings.

Another hope for the attack, especially if Aragones opts for a 4-4-2, is Fernando Torres. The Liverpool player scored the first goal for Spain in qualifying during the 4-0 victory against Liechtenstein, and added another goal to his table fighter against Latvia, but also displays ten goals in nine games for Liverpool. The selection Iberian can also rely on other strengths to the front with the partner playing Villa, Fernando Morientes and the Spanish top scorer of all time (with 44 goals), Raul Gonzales.

DECISIONS, DECISIONS

The line before Aragones depend on the number of media field he chooses to put on the lawn. Spain has shown that it can mark using a central quintet, with a total of seven goals for the duo Xavi Hernandez and Andres Iniesta. So qu'Iniesta not included in the top 20 in the CPI, Xavi has a third place - because he has scored most goals in the final seven qualifying matches and goals of higher quality. Iniesta, however, remains a central part of the puzzle because of its expertise in the field as well as on the wing - as he has displayed at the outdoor victory against Denmark.

The ability of Barcelona duo to score owes much to David Albeda of Valencia, which leads the quartet back, and Cesc Fabregas, who added to his creative play a new passion for the nets, with 13 concrete for Arsenal this season for all the . This impressive selection is complemented by Joaquin.

DO SOME THINGS NEVER CHANGE

The Spanish defence rests on four pillars: Sergio Ramos on the right, Juan Capdevila (supplanta after Ramos scored against France in a friendly match) on the left and Carlos Marchena and Carles Puyol in the centre. If this quartet continues to repel the attacks of his opponents, he undoubtedly have climbed in the rankings.

The goalkeeper Iker Casillas (owner, Pepe Reina to Liverpool), which is preparing for his fourth major international tournament, is strangely absent from the ranking guards despite five game sheets blank in the last seven matches to qualify Spain (and one more in a friendly match against France). But the doorman of Real Madrid had little opportunity to impress - and thus earn points - in the matches against Latvia (twice) and Liechtenstein. It is surely not complain if its services are just as employees in June ...