Spain captain Raul said he respects coach Luis Aragones' decision to leave him on the bench when his side kick-off their 2006 World Cup campaign on Wednesday against Ukraine. The Real Madrid striker has been training with the substitutes over the past few days and has been tipped to sit out the Ukraine match. "I am just a member in the squad," Spanish paper Marca quoted Raul as saying in a press conference on Tuesday. "He (Aragones) doesn't have to give me any explanations about his choices as all the 23 players hope to play but the coach has to choose only 11."
Aragones Reports confirmed Aragones will opt for an offensive trio comprised of David Villa, Fernando Torres and Xavi Alonso. Raul has failed to prove his critics wrong since returning from a long lay-off through injury this season. The 28-year-old, who featured for Spain 95 times and scored 43 goals, said he is confident he will prove his worth. "I believe all of us will get the chance to feel our importance to the team and I hope I can help the team go far in the World Cup," he said. After playing Ukraine, Spain will face Arab sides Saudi Arabia and Tunisia in Group H.
