Uncertainty lingers over Shevchenko

Spain’s preparations appear to have gone like clockwork but the jury is still out on the form of their forwards. Captain and all-time leading goalscorer Raul looks headed for a place on the bench after failing to rediscover his touch since a serious knee injury while Fernando Torres, David Villa and Luis Garcia are favourites to start up front.

The trio have, however, only managed one goal between them in three warm-up games and despite their undoubted class have yet to show the necessary killer instinct.

After a history of World Cup disappointments, Spain’s more down-to-earth approach this time could be their trump card.

THE SQUADS

SPAIN: Goalkeepers: Iker Casillas (1), Santiago Canizares (19) & Jose Manuel Reina (23); Defenders: Michel Salgado (2), Mariano Pernia (3), Carlos Marchena (4), Carlos Puyol (5), Antonio Lopez (12), Sergio Ramos (15), Juanito (20) & Pablo (22); Midfielders: David Albelda (6), Xavi Hernandez (8), Jose Antonio Reyes (10), Iniesta (13), Xabi Alonso (14), Marcos Senna (16), Joaquin (17) & Cesc Fabregas (18); Forwards: Raul (7), Fernando Torres (9), Luis Garcia (11), David Villa (21)

UKRAINE: Goalkeepers: Oleksandr Shovkovskiy (1), Andriy Pyatov (12) & Bogdan Shust (23); Defenders: Andriy Nesmachniy (2), Oleksandr Iatsenko (3), Vladimir Yezerskiy (5), Andriy Rusol (6), Dmytro Chigrynskiy (13), Vladislav Vashchuk (17) & Vyacheslav Sviderskiy (22); Midfielders: Anatoliy Tymoschuk (4), Oleg Shelayev (8), Oleg Gusev (9), Serhiy Rebrov (11), Andriy Gusin (14), Serhiy Nazarenko (18), Maksim Kalinichenko (19) & Ruslan Rotan (21); Forwards: Andriy Shevchenko (7), Andriy Voronin (10), Artem Milevskiy (15), Andriy Vorobey (16), Oleksiy Byelik (20)

Referee: Massimo Busacca (Switzerland), Assistant Referees: Francesco Buragina (Switzerland) & Matthias Arnet (Switzerland), Fourth Official: Roberto Rosetti (Italy), Stand-by: Cristiano Copelli (Italy)