Euro 2000 News
 Soccernet Home
 Euro 2000 Home
 News
 Results/Reports
 Fixtures
 Group A
 Group B
 Group C
 Group D
 Community
Quick jump:



 
 ESPN Network:
 ESPN.com
 NFL.com
 NBA.com
 NASCAR
 ABCSports
 EXPN
 Fantasy Games
 

 
Updated Sunday June 4, 2000
Raul fitness doubts for Euro 2000 kick-off
By Kevin Fylan

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.'

Copyright ©1999,2000 ESPN Internet Ventures. Click here for Terms of Use and UPDATED Privacy Policy applicable to this site.


ESPN.COM WWW.SOCCERNET.COM Sponsored by Sportingbet.com