Spain captain Iker Casillas believes David de Gea is "no longer a future prospect but a strong contender" to play in goal for the national team at Euro 2016. Porto goalkeeper Casillas has been the country's first-choice keeper since 2002 but De Gea is considered favourite to start after a solid season for Manchester United. "De Gea is no longer the future but a strong contender," Casillas told Cadena Cope radio. "It's clear that all of us that are here, we think that we can play. "We are 23 players that play as starters for important clubs and we all believe that we can help the national team but deciding who starts is the coach's job." Spain coach Vicente del Bosque will not make a decision of who will play between the posts until June 13, when his team begins its European Championship campaign against the Czech Republic in Toulouse.
Real Madrid restored their seven-point lead at the top of the La Liga with a 2-0 win over Real Zaragoza.
Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea has been named in the Premier League club's squad for a pre-season tour of the United States despite reported interest from Spanish giants Real Madrid.
The enormity of Spain's achievement in breaking a 44-year trophy drought with their stylish 1-0 victory over Germany in Sunday's Euro 2008 final will take some time to sink in according to the players.
The shadow of their disappointing 2014 World Cup campaign still hangs over Spain as they prepare to defend their European Championship crown in France next month, according to coach Vicente del Bosque.
Spain beat Italy 4-2 in a penalty shootout after a highly tactical Euro 2008 clash on Sunday to set them up with a semi-final against Russia.
Real Madrid's 2-0 win over Atletico Madrid was their seventh league win in a row and they are now seven points clear of Barcelona.
Spain's squad for the World Cup finals in Germany comprises the following 23 players.
Iker Casillas has held Spain together when they have threatened to collapse
Real Madrid goalkeeper Iker Casillas said the constant changes behind the scenes at the club were unsettling players
Real Madrid failed to keep the pressure on leaders Barcelona as they were held to a draw by relegation-threatened Real Sociedad.
A solo goal by the Brazilian striker and some outstanding goalkeeping from Iker Casillas earned Real Madrid a 1-1 draw with leaders Barcelona in the Spanish league.
A 3-1 victory set up a meeting with Brazil, who they beat in the final of the 1998 World Cup.
Xavi slams Real Madrid over Casillas exit
It compounded a woeful few months for the club as coach Julen Lopetegui came and went before former player Santiago Solari replaced him in November. They sat sixth in La Liga and appeared a team in decline, sorely missing forward Cristiano Ronaldo, who left for Juventus last summer.
The product of a two-and-half-year testing process involving some of the world's biggest stars was on view as Adidas on Tuesday night unveiled the Brazuca, the official match ball for next summer's World Cup.
Relief ran through Spanish ranks after Gerard Pique's late header secured a 1-0 victory over the Czech Republic in their opening Group D match at Euro 2016 on Monday.
Holders Real Madrid chased away some of their early-season blues when Gareth Bale scored the pick of the goals in a 5-1 rout of FC Basel in their Champions League Group B opener on Tuesday.
For all Vicente del Bosque's confidence that he has the right balance of experience and youth to return Spain to their familiar place on the winner's rostrum, questions remain about his best starting line-up ahead of Euro 2016.
Real Madrid's early-season woes deepened when they lost 2-1 at home to La Liga champions Atletico Madrid, while substitute Neymar struck twice in Barcelona's 2-0 win against visiting Athletic Bilbao on Saturday.
Rediff.com brings you some of the highlights from the sporting events held last week...
Images from the UEFA Champions League matches played on Tuesday
Confusion reigns over goalkeeper David De Gea's expected transfer from Manchester United to Real Madrid after media reported the relevant paperwork was not delivered in time on Spain's deadline day.
Spain coach Vicente del Bosque has praised goalkeeper David de Gea for the way he has handled an off-field controversy at Euro 2016. The Manchester United player, who has vehemently denied allegations in the Spanish media linking him to a prostitution case, was selected to play against the Czech Republic in Group D in Toulouse on Monday.
Premier League-based trio Diego Costa, Juan Mata and Santi Cazorla were among a high-profile list of absentees when Spain coach Vicente Del Bosque named his provisional 25-man squad for Euro 2016 on Tuesday. Costa injured his hamstring against Liverpool in Chelsea's penultimate game of the season. Atletico Madrid striker Fernando Torres was also absent from the squad despite his improved form towards the end of the season, as were Arsenal midfielder Cazorla and Valencia forward Paco Alcacer, Spain's top scorer in their qualifying campaign.
Juventus shattered Real Madrid's dream of a record-extending 11th European crown when Alvaro Morata scored against his former club to secure a 1-1 Champions League draw with the holders on Wednesday and send Juve into the final 3-2 on aggregate.
Cristiano Ronaldo was sent off as leaders Real Madrid beat Cordoba 2-1 in La Liga on Saturday thanks to late Gareth Bale penalty.
Arsenal right back Hector Bellerin will be in Spain's Euro 2016 squad, the country's football federation said on Tuesday. The 21-year-old Bellerin and the other 18 players named to face South Korea in a friendly in Wals-Siezenheim, Austria on Wednesday, have been guaranteed spots in the European Championship squad. Bellerin was included after Real Madrid right back Dani Carvajal sustained a leg muscle injury in Saturday's Champions League final victory over Atletico Madrid. The Real Madrid and Atletico players in the squad will be named later on Tuesday when Spain coach Vicente del Bosque announces his final list.
Spain coach Vicente del Bosque has agreed a two-year contract extension with the world and European champions which ties him until the 2016 European championship in France, the 62-year-old said on Friday.
Real Madrid keeper Iker Casillas believes the European champions have a side with the potential to be one of the all-time greats and it will be with likely trepidation that an off-colour Liverpool visit the Bernabeu on Tuesday.
Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and Antoine Griezmann appear among the 55 nominees for the FIFPro 2016 World 11 released on Friday but England forward Wayne Rooney failed to make the shortlist for the first time. Portugal captain Ronaldo, led his country to victory at Euro 2016, while France forward Griezmann was the top player at the tournament. It is the first time that 25-year-old Griezmann has made the cut, but England captain Rooney is absent for the first time in the competition's 12-year history, after England crashed out of Euro 2016 to lowly Iceland.
Spain are still favourites to finish top of Group E above Sweden, Poland and Slovakia but, after struggling to break down conservative sides such as Georgia and Greece in March, they know coming first will not be a procession.
European Champions Spain produced a dominant display to thrash South Korea 6-1 in Salzburg, Austria on Wednesday in their penultimate friendly before Euro 2016.
Cristiano Ronaldo's agent has defended the FIFA Ballon d'Or winner after he was criticised for throwing a lavish 30th birthday party on Saturday hours after Real Madrid's 4-0 La Liga drubbing at Atletico.
Real Madrid president Florentino Perez has blamed Manchester United's "lack of negotiating experience" for the failure of goalkeeper David De Gea's move to the Spanish capital on Monday.
Xavi's agent has declined to comment on reports the Barcelona midfielder is set to leave the La Liga leaders at the end of the season and sign a lucrative contract with Qatari side Al Sadd.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti is counting on his wealth of experience to help fix the holders' midfield woes as they prepare to host FC Basel in Tuesday's Champions League Group B opener at the Bernabeu.
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