Euro big guns in friendly tests ahead of WC 2010 qualifiers

AFP, August, 2008

PARIS (AFP) — Less than two months after Spain were crowned as the best team in Europe, the continent's big guns take to the stage anew Wednesday for friendly tests as they finalise preparations for their 2010 World Cup qualifiying campaign.

The Spaniards, under new coach Vicente del Bosque, who has succeeded Luis Aragones, head for Copenhagen to face Denmark after ending a trophy drought stretching back to 1964.

In due course, the 'furia roja' will take on Armenia, Belgium, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Estonia and Turkey for the right to contest the World Cup in South Africa but first they and their neighbours have the chance to try out some new formations.

Del Bosque has thus included Barcelona's 17-year-old playmaker Bojan Krkic in his first squad and new faces in...