SPAIN: Vicente del Bosque Plans Squad Rotation

Spain coach Vicente del Bosque plans to rotate his squad for upcoming matches, but said the Macedonia clash was his priority. Del Bosque's men are in action for the first time since the World Cup on Thursday, when they take on France in an international friendly. Just four days later, Spain host Macedonia in a Euro 2016 qualifier and that encounter is unsurprisingly the focus for Del Bosque.


"We are going to try to use as many players are possible because it's going to be two games in a row and we don't want any of them – if [it] is possible – playing 180 minutes," he said.

"So, both games are important, of course Monday’s game is more[so] because we are going to play for three points, but we are gonna play against big rival, as France is.

"We want to do a good game, so we will combine all the players to play both games."

A player missing for the France clash is Franck Ribery after the Bayern Munich star announced his retirement from internationals in August. Del Bosque said he would have liked the 31-year-old to still be in action.

"I would like he [Ribery] could play because he is one the best players of France," he said.

"We always have paid attention to cover him despite Alvaro Arbeloa always has done a really good job stopping him. Ribery is a really difficult opponent."