Torres could prosper from Costa
Spain head to the World Cup with an impeccable recent track record. With their status as defending champions in all of the top competitions – the World Cup, European Championship, Champions League and Europa League – the challenge in Brazil will be tougher than ever.
They will also suffer the consequences of players fighting for titles on all fronts until the end of the season. Diego Costa looks set to move to Chelsea this summer, but will need time to recover from a hamstring injury that forced him off after just nine minutes of the Champions League final, and according to Vicente Del Bosque may be running out of time before the 23-man squad is announced.
Del Bosque will also be keeping a close eye on the likes of Juanfran, Koke, Sergio Busquets and Xabi Alonso, who finished the season exhausted.
In defence, Sergio Ramos – now emerging as a scorer of key goals – must become the new leader of the Spanish team due to the questionable form of Iker Casillas and the retirement of Carles Puyol.
Players such as Koke and Diego Costa, if fully fit, could add new elements to Del Bosque’s team. The former’s versatility and authority in midfield has seen him linked with a host of top clubs, including Manchester United, while the latter is on his way to Stamford Bridge after a season in which he has led the Atletico Madrid attack with speed and strong hold-up play.
Costa is likely to replace Fernando Torres (pictured) at Chelsea, but the former Liverpool man has overtaken Alvaro Negredo and Fernando Llorente in the pecking order up front, and his position could, ironicially, be strengthened further if the Atleti man is not fit. Gerard Deulofeu, meanwhile, seems to be Del Bosque’s preferred alternative to Jesus Navas, who has not played since early April.
Del Bosque still has a few days to mull over his options. Following the friendly against Bolivia, he will announce his final squad and then we will be given the first indications of his plans for the World Cup.
Australia had a bumpy ride through the Asian qualifying groups, losing to Oman and Jordan, En route to finishing second behind Japan to seal a world cup place. >詳細>>
