Spain manager Vicente Del Bosque on Friday called up Sevilla’s young uncapped left-back Alberto Moreno for the upcoming World Cup qualifying matches at home to Belarus and Georgia.
Moreno, 21, comes in for the injured Jordi Alba of Barcelona.
Spain’s other injury victims are Carles Puyol, Xabi Alonso and Santi Cazorla.
Right-back Juanfran of Atletico Madrid and striker Juan Mata of Chelsea have been recalled after being absent for several months.
Spain will face Belarus in Palma on October 11 then Georgia in Albacete four nights later. The world and European champions are joint top of Group I with France, having played a game less.
Del Bosque said he had wanted to include Atletico Madrid’s Brazilian striker Diego Costa in his squad but was unable to because the Brazilian football federation had not agreed to Costa playing for Spain.
Costa, 25, played in two friendlies for Brazil earlier this year but has reportedly agreed to switch to Spain because he believes he is not in the plans of Brazil manager Luiz Felipe Scolari for the World Cup.
However, Del Bosque will have to wait for the Costa situation to be resolved by the Brazilian and Spanish federations and FIFA.
“We want Costa to play for us but we have not had enough time to deal with this question,” said Del Bosque Friday.
Del Bosque revealed he had spoken to Costa. “It was a very pleasant conversation. I told him that he was in our plans and he said he wanted to play for us ... Now we will just have to wait and see.” When asked whether Iker Casillas would continue as his first-choice goalkeeper, despite being understudy at Real Madrid to Diego Lopez, Del Bosque replied: “There is a positive and negative side to Iker playing less matches.
“This means that he is rested up and relaxed. We are going to take this day by day, without thinking about a long-term question such as the World Cup finals.”
Spain squad : Goalkeepers : Iker Casillas (Real Madrid), Jose Reina (Napoli), Vor Valdes (Barcelona) Defenders : Juanfran (Atletico Madrid), Alvaro Arbeloa (Real Madrid), Gerard Pique (Barcelona), Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid), Raul Albiol (Napoli), Alberto Moreno (Sevilla), Nacho Monreal (Arsenal) Midfielders : Sergio Busquets (Barcelona), Mario Suarez (Atletico Madrid), Koke (Atletico Madrid), Xavi (Barcelona), Andres Iniesta (Barcelona), Isco (Real Madrid), Jesus Navas (Manchester City), Pedro (Barcelona), Cesc Fabregas (Barcelona) Forwards : David Villa (Atletico Madrid), Alvaro Negredo (Manchester City), David Silva (Manchester City), Juan Mata (Chelsea)
