Europe’s top clubs will be keeping their fingers crossed that none of their players suffer injuries in a host of friendly internationals to be played on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Newly-crowned world champions Spain travel to Mexico for a controversial friendly with La Roja’s massive contingent of Barcelona players even though Barca coach Pep Gaurdiola gave his charges holidays until August 11 to recover from their World Cup exertions.
Barca had pleaded with Spain coach Vicente del Bosque not to call up so many of their players, because they have the first leg of the Spanish Supercup away to Sevilla next Saturday, and the Spain squad will not return from Mexico until Friday.
Del Bosque, however, called up all of the Barca World Cup contingent — except World Cup final hero Andres Iniesta, who has muscle problems in his right leg — saying that “this is an important match and we should field our best players.” While Spain travel to Mexico for the country’s 200th anniversary in celebratory mood, England take on Hungary at Wembley looking to bounce back from their humiliating World Cup exit at the hands of Germany.
Under-fire manager Fabio Capello apologized at the weekend for England’s insipid performance in South Africa and has included only 10 of the 23 players who went to the World Cup.
“Sorry to the fans, because our performance in South Africa was not good,” Capello said. “I know they spent a lot of time and a lot of money, so sorry.” Though the likes of Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard and Wayne Rooney remain in the side, they have been joined by several youngsters, including the recalled Theo Walcott and his Arsenal team-mates Jack Wilshere and Kieran Gibbs.
Fulham striker Bobby Zamora, Carlton Cole of West Ham and Darren Bent will compete for a starting place in attack, while Everton’s Phil Jagielka is also included.
Argentina are another team looking to put a mauling to Germany behind them when they play Ireland in the official opening of the new Aviva stadium in Dublin.
Sergio Batista will be auditioning to replace Diego Maradona after his departure in the wake of Argentina’s quarter-final elimination.
France play Norway without any squad member from South Africa after new coach Laurent Blanc dropped all 23 as a collective punishment for their training strike in South Africa.
Italy also had a dismal World Cup tournament and new coach Cesare Prandelli’s first test will be against the Ivory Coast on Tuesday in London.
Ivory Coast also went out at the end of the group phase and replaced Swede Sven-Goran Eriksson with Frenchman Gerard Gili, 58.
Former Fiorentina coach Prandelli has made necessary changes to the squad he is to lead for the next four years, beginning by calling up the sometimes controversial forwards Antonio Cassano and Mario Balotelli.
Germany coach Joachim Loew has decided to rest the majority of the players that excelled in the World Cup for Wednesday’s friendly against Denmark in Copenhagen.
Just seven of the squad that managed a third-place finish in South Africa are in Loew’s 17-man roster following Piotr Trochowski’s withdrawal with an achilles injury.
World Cup Golden Boot winner Thomas Mueller is rested as are Bayern Munich teammates Miroslav Klose, Bastian Schweinsteiger and Philipp Lahm.
