Spain coach says forwards Villa & Morata can play together

Spain football team coach Julen Lopetegui has said that forwards David Villa and Alvaro Morata can play together though he gave little away about his side's forthcoming World Cup qualifying match against Italy at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium here on Saturday night.

Spain need to win in order to assure finishing top of their group and avoiding a play-off and with striker Diego Costa unfit, Lopetegui has called 35-year-old veteran Villa into his squad, along with Chelsea forward Morata, reports Xinhua news agency.

"You pick your squad from those who are available," he said on Wednesday. "David (Villa) has always been in my thoughts and he and Morata can play together," explained the coach.

"I am not looking past these two games (Italy and Liechtenstein). If Villa has come now, it could come more times, but it is not the moment to think of that. Now is the moment for us to think about beating Italy," he said.

Lopetegui was asked about in-form Real Madrid forward Marco Asensio, but refused to say whether he would start on Saturday night.

"I am going to pick the squad on the basis of what I see during the week, but whoever plays, we are going to have a great side and we will not win just with the 11 who start the game," said the coach, highlighting the role any substitutes will play.

"It is going to be a huge game on Saturday, because of our rival, the venue and the importance. We are focused on what we have to do and we have to be at our best," said Lopetegui, who said he "knew the Italian side very well".

--IANS

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