Sport Today

Spain - Russia

SPAIN (probable starting 11)

                    Casillas

            Helguera           Marchena    

 Puyol                                    Raul Bravo

            X.Alonso           Baraja

     Vicente                      Etxeberria

                    Raul

                  Morientes

Spain's defense has been discussed in RSS plenty of times, suffice to
say that Salgado's injury could be a blessing, since it means Puyol
can play where he plays best, although Bravo so far has proved he
can't defend.  Hard to believe that Spain's best player Veleron can't
even get into this team.

RUSSIA (probable starting 11)

                    Ovchinnikov

             Sharonov (Sennikov)      Smertin

Evseev                                           Anyukov

            Mostovoi (Kariaka)     Alenichev

Aldonin                                        Gusev (Bystrov)

                Sychev (Kerzhakov)  Bulykin

Very good technical players, but it seems Russia never perform on the
big stage. They've been excellent at home, which is what got them the
qualification, but are very poor away.  Keep an eye out on for striker
Bulykin

Albelda instead of Alonso.

--
Una salutaci i Amunt Valncia!

Miguel. LCJ#6, YV, MFC#5, IFC#5, SFC#1, GAO#1, KSJDOFOKDODVSD #6, FPDMIE#4,
PPU, CTC.
Ganador del GPC'03, GPC-CM'03, UCN'03, Timba Ch'03, Intt 03-04, TCAN'04,
1er TMD, TG'04
Fundador del Sissoko Fan Club y del Grupo de Apoyo a Ort

How do you think Baraja will do, Miguel? They say his performances for
La Furia have been less than overwhelming. :)

Valeron? Joaquin?

They will be substitutes of Raul and Etxeberria.
--
Una salutaci i Amunt Valncia!

Miguel. LCJ#6, YV, MFC#5, IFC#5, SFC#1, GAO#1, KSJDOFOKDODVSD #6, FPDMIE#4,
PPU, CTC.
Ganador del GPC'03, GPC-CM'03, UCN'03, Timba Ch'03, Intt 03-04, TCAN'04,
1er TMD, TG'04
Fundador del Sissoko Fan Club y del Grupo de Apoyo a Ort

On Wed, 09 Jun 2004 16:22:43 -0400, Victoria Barrett

I have complete faith in him.

--
Una salutaci i Amunt Valncia!

Miguel. LCJ#6, YV, MFC#5, IFC#5, SFC#1, GAO#1, KSJDOFOKDODVSD #6, FPDMIE#4,
PPU, CTC.
Ganador del GPC'03, GPC-CM'03, UCN'03, Timba Ch'03, Intt 03-04, TCAN'04,
1er TMD, TG'04
Fundador del Sissoko Fan Club y del Grupo de Apoyo a Ort

Nice luxury to have.

The Spain-Portugal game could be quite a show.

Either he's improved considerably since I last saw him or Joaquin has
totally lost form.

Doan

Etxeberria had a great season, though he didn't score a lot of goals.
He is less spectacular than Joaquin, but he is a clever player, good
all-round ability, and quite responsible defensively.  I imagine we'll
see Joaquin late in the game if Spain needs a spark.  He was so-so his
year - good one match, no so good the next.

Athletic Bilbao didn't finish fifth by luck- they had some good players,
notably Yeste, Tiko, and Del Horno. But Etxeberria was their leader.

Right. Spain's central midfield partnership is always Albelda-Baraja
or Albelda-Xabi Alonso. I don't think Baraja and Xabi Alonso have ever
started a match together.