Switzerland v Spain – Preview.

Spain start their World Cup campaign against what is likely to be an organised and efficient Switzerland side.

The Likely Spanish starting line-up:

GK: Iker Casillas DR: Sergio Ramos DC: Gerard Pique DC: Carlos Puyol DL: Juan Capdevila DM: Xavi Alonso DM: Sergio Busquets CM: Xavi AML: Andres Iniesta AMR: David Silva ST: David Villa.

The team is obviously a very talented one and will be looking to start their campaign with a win to put them on their way to an expected comfortable qualification into the next round. Spain have lost just once in their 48 most recent fixtures and in their last 34 fixtures they have won 33 times. Manager Vicente Del Bosque seems to be intent on playing two defensive midfielders to compensate for the loss of Marcos Senna in Sergio Busquets and Xabi Alonso which means Fernando Torres has to make way and Andres Iniesta is often played out of position.

The favourites find themselves at a slight disadvantage in the fact that they play their game last out of all the competitors in the competition. This means that if they reach the final, as expected, they will play seven games in 26 games, a though ask for any team, even one with the strength in depth of the Spanish squad which means that squad rotation may be a key part with Del Bosque’s tactics, although his favoured line-up is likely to start in Spain’s first game in the World Cup 2010.

Switzerland

Strengths: As said earlier they are a well organised out-fit that don’t concede many goals – 7 in 10 games in qualifying. They didn’t find scoring goals to problematic in qualification either scoring two or more goals nine out of their ten qualifying games. Tranquillo Barnetta and Marco Padalino offer pace on the wings that can threaten any defence in the competition. Alexander Frei is a lethal finisher up-front and is finally having a run of fitness after being plagued by injuries for most of his career.

Weaknesses: The lack of a player who can make things happen on the ball is one deficiency. The fact that manager Ottmar Hitzfield favours two defensive minded midfielders in his 4-4-2 formation means that going forward the threats are mostly from the wings and, obviously, the front-two. Phillipe Senderos’, who starts at centre back, has been shown-up before against good quality opposition in his time at Arsenal.

Key Player: Alexander Frei. The dangerous striker is the golden boy of Swiss football. He is lethal for his country for whom he has scored 40 times in 75 caps and would of surely got more if he wasn’t so injury prone. A lethal finisher he will have to make the most of any sniff of a chance he gets against the Spaniard’s as they may well be few and far between.

Likely Starting Line-Up: GK: Diego Benaglio DR: Stephan Lichtsteiner DC: Phillipe Senderos DC: Stephane Grichting DL: Ludovic Magnin MR: Marco Padalino DM: Gokhan Inler DM: Gelson Fernandes ML: Tranquillo Barnetta ST: Alexander Frei ST: Blaise Nkufo

Prediction For Final Result:

Spain 3 – 0 Switzerland