Group F leaders Spain can count on Carles Puyol for the trip to Aarhus to take on Denmark on Saturday week as they look to maintain a three-point advantage over second-placed Northern Ireland and Sweden.

Key game
Luis Aragon�s's men have 19 points, five more than Denmark who, like third-placed Sweden, have two games in hand on the top two. Barcelona captain Puyol has recovered from a knee injury and was named in the selection along with potential debutants Ra�l Albiol and Albert Riera. Riera is arguably the biggest surprise but Aragon�s was clear about his quality. "Our qualification for EURO is at stake," he said. "I know Riera from my time at RCD Mallorca and he's technically a great player." As well as the trip to Denmark, Spain will take on Finland in a friendly contest four days later.

Spain squad
Goalkeepers: Iker Casillas (Real Madrid CF), Pepe Reina (Liverpool FC).

Defenders: Pablo Ib��ez (Club Atl�tico de Madrid), Mariano Pern�a (Club Atl�tico de Madrid), Carles Puyol (FC Barcelona), Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid CF), Carlos Marchena (Valencia CF), Joan Capdevila (Villarreal CF), Ra�l Albiol (Valencia CF).

Midfielders: Cesc Fabregas (Arsenal FC), Andr�s Iniesta (FC Barcelona), David Silva (Valencia CF), Xavi Hern�ndez (FC Barcelona), David Albelda (Valencia CF), Miguel �ngel Angulo (Valencia CF), Joaqu�n (Valencia CF), Albert Riera (RCD Espanyol).

Forwards: David Villa (Valencia CF), Fernando Torres (Liverpool FC), Luis Garc�a (RCD Espanyol).

Spain have been dealt a blow just six days before their crucial UEFA EURO 2008™ qualifier against Denmark after forward David Villa suffered a sprained ankle on club duty for Valencia CF.

Ankle injury
The 25-year-old sustained the injury to his left ankle midway through the first half of Valencia's 2-1 defeat against RCD Espanyol on Saturday after a tackle by Milan Smiljanić. Tests by the club's medical staff have revealed the extent of the damage with Villa ruled out for up to three weeks. The news means the player, who has scored 13 times for his country in 26 appearances, will not feature against Denmark, nor the friendly against Finland four days later. Villa is also a serious doubt for Valencia's UEFA Champions League Matchday 3 visit to Rosenborg BK on 24 October.

Luis Aragones has seemingly ruled out calling up Bojan Krkic (pictured) for the impending Euro 2008 tournament next summer in Austria and Switzerland.

The veteran coach, speaking at a sponsorship meeting between the Spanish FA and Cruzcampo, remarked, "We're tracking him, and it's possible that he'll debut in a friendly, but he is too young for the European Championships."
Bojan, 17, has already played for all levels of the young Furia Roja, right up to the U-21s, but perhaps mindful of the fate of Theo Walcott at the World Cup last year with England, Aragones has deemed tournament play another ball game entirely.

One player who himself made waves as a youngster, Raul, could well make his return to the Spanish squad at next summer's tournament.
Aragones teased, "Who would you remove? One must always call up those who are at their best, as I have to be as fair as possible.

"If he continues, despite the long wait, he's likely to return."

Indeed, he extended that to certain other Furia Roja outcasts, too.
"Raul's the one in the media the most, but there are others who once were called up, but are no longer," he noted.

Aragones has previously stated that he will not renew his contract when the tournament ends, but recent comments have seen him leave the door open for a longer crack at international management.
"In both life and football things can be long term, although the Federation and I know the expiration date.

"We're going to try to win something for Spain this time."
One source of motivation is that Cruzcampo have promised each player and technical staff member their weight in beer should Spain reach the final.

Steve Michaels, Goal.com

Several weeks ago Spain were warned by FIFA and UEFA that they risked suspension from international competition due to political interference in their FA's elections.

Football's main governing bodies were up in arms over the Spanish government's request for the (Real Federaci�n Espa�ola de F�tbol) RFEF to conduct its elections prior to the Beijing Olympics, as all non-competing Spanish sports organisations must do.

The RFEF, however, has previously operated with four-year terms of administration, with the next election correctly slated for November.

Spain refused to take the threat from FIFA and UEFA seriously, and they have now paid the ultimate price by being thrown out of Euro 2008.

"We warned the Spanish government very clearly, through their Sports Council (CSD), that if they continue to interfere in footballing affairs that they will have to recognise that their national team will be excluded from international tournaments," explained FIFA President Sepp Blatter.

"They have deliberately and completely ignored our warnings and so we are left with no choice but to pull them out from Euro 2008."

Spain's place at Austria and Switzerland has been taken by England, who are the highest ranked nation who did not qualify for the tournament.

"Spain have been replaced by England, due to the fact that they are the highest ranked nation not in the Euros," stated Blatter.

"The football community welcome Fabio Capello's squad, and we hope they will grasp this second-chance with both hands."

England will be in Group D, alongside European Champions Greece, Sweden, and Russia, who ironically pipped them to qualification originally.

The Three Lions' first game of the tournament will in fact be against Russia at the Tivoli-Neu Stadion in Innsbruck on June 10.

England will be hoping for a repeat of Euro 92', when Denmark were entered into the tournament late in the day after Yugoslavia had also been thrown out due to political reasons.

Denmark went on to win the tournament, beating Germany in the final in Gothenburg 2-0.

The news has been met by delight by former England manager Graham Taylor, who was in charge during Euro 92.

"I believe we will win Euro 2008 now," said The Turnip.

"There is no team in that tournament who we should fear. You name me a team who boasts our talent. I am utterly convinced that we will return from Switzerland with the trophy."

April Fool, Goal.com

Coach Luis Aragon�s was forced to name a pool of players from which he will name his squad in May after UEFA stated that every squad member be vaccinated against a outbreak of Central European Encephalitis and that means having the jabs early.

Reluctantly, the veteran trainer has given over the names and Ra�l's absence is not that unexpected with the Real Madrid skipper not having represented his country since September 2006. Aragon�s has chosen to name the players that he tried once or twice with Bar�a's Bojan Krkic, Sevilla's Andr�s Palop and Getafed duo Rub�n De la Red and Pablo Hern�ndez being included.

Los Merengues do have Iker Casillas and Sergio Ramos include, while Barcelona have Bojan as well as Carles Puyol, Xavi and Andr�s Iniesta. David Albelda has also been named despite not playing for Valencia since December, while �lvaro Arbeloa has also been retained along with Liverpool team-mates Xabi Alonso, Pepe Reina and Fernando Torres.

The absence of Ra�l may meet with an outcry from the Madrid-biased press, such as AS, who were driving a campaign to see the goalscorer recalled. But that plan looks certain to have failed as those included in the 31 that do not make the initial squad, will be used as cover in case of injuries, meaning that Ra�l will not even sneak in through the back door.