Spain - A new Spanish team to face the best in the World

Written by results

Friday, 30 July 2010

THE NEW SPANISH TEAM, EAGER TO DEAL WITH THE BEST IN THE CHAMPIONS TROPHY  Spain will face the Champions Trophy in Monchengladbach without five players that have been during many years the backbone of the team. Xavi Ribas (34 years) has ended his career and Pol Amat (best player 2008), Rodrigo Garza (30), Albert Sala (29) and Edi Tubau (29) will also miss the tournament. At the other hand, Spain recovers Santi Freixa, injured from June 2009, who comes back to the team after missing the European Cup, the Champions Trophy`09 and the World Cup.   National coach Dani Martín has decided not to select them looking to rejuvenate the team. "Tubau is injured and I still count on Amat, Garza and Sala but I have preferred to give a chance to younger players in the Champions Trophy. Having Santi Freixa is very important for us. The team needs him."  The Spanish performance in Monchengladbach is a mystery even for Martín, who recognizes that the new team need some time and he can’t ask the youngest to be at the same level as the oldest. Nevertheless Martín aims to regain the third position in the World Ranking that Spain lost against Netherlands after the World Cup. We need to play finals to be well positioned in the ranking and play the next Champions Trophy, so we will fight for it.   Spain started the preparation for the Champions Trophy with two draws against Pakistan (2-2 and 1-1), one win against France (3-0) and a surprising lost against the French (1-5), all of them in Terrassa. England town of Lilleshall was the next stop in the route to Monchengladbach, and Spain played better and won the first match against England (2-1) and equalized the next two (both 1-1).  Finally, in Monchengladbach, Spain and Germany drew (2-2). "We have been doing better and better and I am satisfied with the work done before the Champions Trophy".  ends Martín.  SPANISH PLAYERS QUICO CORTÉS, 1 (GOALKEEPER)AGE: 27CAPS: 102CLUB: CLUB EGARA  ORIOL FÁBREGAS, 16 (GOALKEEPER)AGE: 22CAPS: 2CLUB: PRINCESS RC POLO  SERGI ENRIQUE, 3 (DEFENDER)AGE: 22CAPS: 112CLUB: ATLÉTIC DE TERRASSA  BOSCO PÉREZ-PLA, 5 (DEFENDER)AGE: 22CAPS: 11CLUB: CLUB DE CAMPO  ANDRÉS MIR, 26 (DEFENDER)AGE: 23CAPS: 24CLUB: CLUB DE CAMPO  RAMÓN ALEGRE, 13 (DEFENDER)AGE: 29CAPS: 199CLUB: KAMPONG (HOLANDA)  MANEL TERRAZA, 22 (DEFENDER)AGE: 20CAPS: 0CLUB: PRINCESS RC POLO MIQUEL DELÁS, 7 (MIDFIELD)AGE: 26CAPS: 47CLUB: ATLÉTIC DE TERRASSA  ALEX FÁBREGAS, 8 (MIDFIELD)AGE: 29CAPS: 189CLUB: PRINCESS RC POLO  FRANC DINARÉS, 12 (MIDFIELD)AGE: 22CAPS: 39CLUB: CLUB EGARA  MARC SALLÉS, 19 (MIDFIELD)AGE: 23CAPS: 20CLUB: ORANJE ZWART (NETHERLANDS)  DAVID ALEGRE, 23 (MIDFIELD)AGE: 25CAPS: 160CLUB: ORANJE ZWART (NETHERLANDS)  GABRIEL DABANCH 25 (FORWARD)AGE: 22CAPS: 2CLUB: PRINCESS RC POLO   SANTI FREIXA, 2 (FORWARD)AGE: 27CAPS: 159CLUB: AMSTERDAM H&BC (NETHERLANDS)  JUAN LAINZ, 15 (FORWARD)AGE: 25CAPS: 35CLUB: CLUB DE CAMPO ROC OLIVA, 11 (FORWARD)AGE: 21CAPS: 54CLUB: ATLÉTIC DE TERRASSA  PAU QUEMADA, 25 (FORWARD)AGE: 26CAPS: 86CLUB: PRINCESS RC POLO  XAVI LLEONART, 28 (FORWARD)AGE: 20CAPS: 26CLUB: CD TERRASSA Source: Spanish Hockey Federation

Last Updated ( Friday, 30 July 2010 )