De Pedro earns another chance

Iñaki Sáez has named a 19-man squad for Spain's UEFA EURO 2004™ qualifiers against Greece and Northern ireland.

Baraja suspension
The Spanish, who currently lead qualifying Group 6, play host to the Greeks on 7 June in Zaragoza before travelling to face the Northern Irish in Belfast on 11 June. Only 18 players are available against Greece with Rubén Baraja suspended.
 
Few changes
Midfield player Javier De Pedro of Real Sociedad is included while defender Juanfran of RC Celta de Vigo also returns to the squad. Real's Agustín Aranzabal is missing through injury.

No major surprises
Otherwise there are no major surprises. Midfield player David Albelda of Valencia FC is missing as Sáez does not yet consider him fit enough after injury to be considered for selection. "I need players at 100 per cent," the coach explained.

Morientes included
Sáez has unsurprisingly kept faith with forward Fernando Morientes, who hit a hat-trick in Spain's last game against Ecuador, despite his lack of first-team football with Real Madrid CF. However, there is no place for Club Atlético de Madrid's young scoring sensation Fernando Torres.

Step by step
"Fernando Torres has to go step by step, first the Under-21 squad and then the first team, as Xabi Alonso has done," Sáez said. Spain have ten points from four games in Group 6 so far, four more than Greece and Ukraine.

Spain squad
Etxeberría, Puyol, Joaquín, Juanfran, Sergio, Valerón. Casillas, Raúl Bravo, Salgado, Helguera, Guti, Morientes, Raúl, De Pedro, Xabi Alonso, Cañizares, Marchena, Vicente, Baraja.