BARCELONA, June 4 (Reuters) - Spain coach Jose Antonio Camacho says his leading striker Raul Gonzalez will not be fully fit when Euro 2000 gets underway next weekend.
Raul was forced to miss training last week after straining a
thigh muscle during Real Madrid's 3-0 Champions League final
victory over Valencia.
He did not play in Saturday's 1-1 draw with Sweden when a
first-half Pep Guardiola penalty was cancelled out by another
spot kick from Roland Nilsson 15 minutes from time.
Camacho expects Raul to play a part in Spain's final warm-up
game against Luxembourg on Wednesday but accepts he will still
be some way short of full fitness when Spain open their Euro
2000 campaign against Norway on June 13 in Rotterdam.
'Raul will play against Luxembourg next week, or at least I
hope so,' Camacho said. 'We'll have to see.
'We think he'll be able to play the first official game as
well but he'll definitely be in discomfort.
'It's not that his injury has got worse, though. It's just
that he has this problem and we have to accept it.'
Camacho said he was pleased with the workout against the
Swedes who he believed would pose similar problems to the
Norwegians.
'We knew it was going to be a tough game, which is
precisely why we wanted to play it,' said the Spanish coach.
'We tried to play football and we managed it to a certain
extent. They played a long-ball game and it's difficult to
defend against that.
'It was a similar test to the one that awaits us against
Norway. It's not going to be easy and it's important that we
realise that.'
Saturday's draw with Sweden was notable for the debut of
19-year-old goalkeeper Iker Casillas who played the final 25
minutes of the match.
The Real Madrid youngster, who was playing in the club's C
team just 12 months ago, said he enjoyed his first taste of full
international action, despite conceding the penalty that led to
Sweden's equaliser.
'It's great to play for the first time in your country's
colours and I felt fine out there,' said Casillas.
'I wasn't nervous because I was doing something I enjoy.
'Giving away the penalty was just bad luck. It's the sort
of thing that can happen at any time and there's no need to
dwell on it.'