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Spain’s Albiol out with fractured cheek bone
Posted Monday, October 10, 2011 by YAHOO Sport

MADRID, Oct 9 (Reuters) - Spain defender Raul Albiol fractured a cheek bone in training on Sunday and is out of Tuesday’s Euro 2012 qualifier against Scotland in Alicante.

The Real Madrid centre back had a scan that confirmed the fracture and has left the national team’s training camp, Real said in a statement on their website

The Spanish club did not say how long he might be sidelined.

Midfielder Xabi Alonso, Albiol’s Real team mate, trained normally in Sunday’s evening session despite sustaining a gashed shin in Friday’s 2-0 win against Czech Republic.

“Alonso trained without any apparent discomfort and said he felt fine, although he was wearing a large bandage on his right leg,” the Spanish soccer federation (RFEF) said on its website

Fullback Sergio Ramos, another Real player, trained apart from the rest of the squad after being substituted at halftime in Prague as a precaution but should be back with his team mates for Monday’s session in Alicante, the RFEF added.

Spain, the world and European champions, qualified for the Euro 2012 finals in Ukraine and Poland with two games to spare and top Group I with a perfect 21 points from seven matches.

With one game to play, Scotland are second on 11 points and a win against Spain would secure them a playoff berth. Czech Republic, who play in Lithuania on Tuesday, are third on 10.

 

Standings
    Rank Team W/D/L Pts

    Cities & Stadiums

    The Top 3 Teams of Previous Tournaments

    Year Winners Runner-up Third place
    2008SpainGermanyRussia / Turkey
    2004GreecePortugalNetherlands / Czech Republic
    2000FranceItalyNetherlands / Portugal
    1996GermanyCzech RepublicFrance / England
    1992DenmarkGermanyNetherlands / Sweden
    1988NetherlandsSoviet UnionItaly / West Germany
    1984FranceSpainDenmark / Portugal
    1980West GermanyBelgiumCzechoslovakia
    1976CzechoslovakiaWest GermanyNetherlands
    1972West GermanySoviet UnionBelgium
    1968ItalyYugoslaviaEngland
    1964SpainSoviet UnionHungary
    1960Soviet UnionYugoslaviaCzechoslovakia