Tallinn, Estonia - Spain are keen to stay top of World Cup qualifying Group 5 by beating Estonia on Saturday - despite all their injury problems. The Euro 2008 winners are currently top of the group with six points from two games, having beaten both Bosnia and Armenia at home.
Estonia, in contrast, are bottom of the group with no points at all.
Even so, Saturday's clash in Tallinn will not be a picnic for Vicente del Bosque's injury-hit team.
Del Bosque has already had to send home Sevilla winger Diego Capel with a torn calf muscle, calling up Liverpool's Albert Riera as replacement.
In addition, defender Valencia Raul Albiol is doubtful because of a strained abductor muscle in his left calf.
Also, no less than four Euro 2008 heroes are not in peak physical condition, though they will probably all be fit by Saturday: Sergio Ramos, Carles Puyol, Andres Iniesta and Santi Cazorla.
Because of these physical problems, Del Bosque seems to be considering fielding slightly different teams against Estonia and against Belgium, in Brussels next Wednesday.
Sports daily AS claims on Thursday that, for the Estonia game, Del Bosque will beef up his midfield with Xabi Alonso, next to Marcos Senna and Xavi Hernandez.
This means that Andres Iniesta will be sent to play up front - in the same false left-wing role that Josep Guardiola has given him at Barcelona - alongside David Villa and Fernando Torres.
Rival daily Marca, however, claims on Thursday that Alonso will probably play instead of Senna, with Iniesta brought back into midfield and Cazorla switching from wing to wing.
Cazorla - in fine form for Villarreal - told the Spanish media on Thursday morning that "the motivation is always the same when playing for Spain. When you play for "La Seleccion", every game is a final."
The little Villarreal schemer added that "the next two games are going to be complicated, and we know that we have a lot at stake in every match."
Cazorla suffered a training-ground collision on Monday with reserve goalkeeper Jose Reina, but insisted on Thursday that "I am in good condition to play on Saturday."
Spain have been training in Madrid since Monday, and will fly out to Tallinn on Thursday evening.
