Home ›› 11 Nov 2021 ›› Sport
Former World Champions Spain are under pressure ahead of their 2022 World Cup qualifiers against Greece and Sweden as they might finish second in group B and fail to directly qualify for the World Cup in Qatar.
Spain currently sit second in the group with 13 points, two points behind leaders Sweden.
In their first of the two matches, the Spaniards will come up against Greece, who had held them at home earlier this year.
Enrique has been suffering from injury issues as two players of his squad had to be replaced at the last moment. Barcelona forward Ansu Fati and centre-back Eric Garcia were both injured in the club’s latest match against Celta Vigo, leading to their omission from the Spanish squad. Enrique has called up Raul de Tomas and Diego Llorente to replace the injured players.
Former European champions Portugal are also facing trouble in group A as they sit second with 16 points from six games. Serbia are ahead of them with 17 points from seven games.
Portugal are currently favourites to go through as they have a game in hand, but they will have to face Serbia in the final game of the qualifiers, and a slip-up there might lead them to the path of playing playoffs.
Chiellini out of Italy’s WC qualifiers
Giorgio Chiellini was on Wednesday ruled out of Italy’s World Cup qualifying deciders with Switzerland and Northern Ireland after failing to recover from a thigh injury.
The European champions’ captain was among those in doubt for the key matches in qualification for the 2022 tournament in Qatar but the Italian Football Federation said he will leave the national team’s training camp on Wednesday.
Chiellini’s absence is a big blow heading into Friday’s clash in Rome against the Swiss, who trail Group C leaders Italy on goal difference with two games remaining for both teams.
The pair are the only sides in contention for the group’s sole guaranteed place at the World Cup, which will be played over November and December next year.
Italy face Northern Ireland at Windsor Park in their final match on Monday, while Switzerland host Bulgaria.
Azzurri coach Roberto Mancini has lost both Euro 2020 icon Chiellini and starting centre-forward Ciro Immobile in less than 24 hours, and is also sweating on the availability of Inter Milan midfielder dynamo Nicolo Barella.
