Vazquez replaces injured Vitolo in Spain squad for Italy clash

Spain head coach Julen Lopetegui on Tuesday called Real Madrid winger Lucas Vazquez into the 26-man football squad for the decisive World Cup qualifying game against Italy on Saturday.

Vazquez replaces Atletico Madrid winger Vitolo, who is currently on loan at Las Palma and suffered a knee injury while training on Sunday, reports Xinhua news agency.

Vazquez's incorporation means there are now six Real Madrid players in the Spain squad (Vaquez, Sergio Ramos, Marco Asensio, Dani Carvajal, Isco and Nacho Fernandez).

Spain will also face Liechtenstein three days later, but the Italy game in the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium will decide whether the Spaniards qualify directly for the 2018 World Cup in Russia or will they need to qualify through the play offs.

The two sides are level on 16 points from their opening six matches with the only dropped points for both sides coming in a 1-1 draw in Italy earlier in the campaign.

A win for either side would almost certainly assure a berth and condemn the other to the lottery of the play-offs.

--IANS

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