Real Madrid skipper Raul has been surprisingly left out of Spain's Euro 2008 qualifiers game against Sweden for the first time in 10 years. "I have chosen the players that I think are in the best form at this moment in time," Spain coach Luis Aragones was quoted as saying by the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) official website on Friday. "I never had problems with Raul on the Spanish team. This is a decision for this match alone." Although Raul excelled and netted twice in Real Madrid's 5-1 drubbing of Dynamo Kiev in the UEFA Champions League, Aragones opted not to select him for the Sweden game. Since making his debut with Spain in 1996 against Czech Republic, the 29-year-old was regularly selected if not injured or suspended. Spain will face Sweden on the seventh of October before taking on Argentina in a friendly four days later.
Aragones Spain squad: Goalkeepers: Iker Casillas (Real Madrid), Jose Manuel Reina (Liverpool/ENG) Defenders: Antonio Lopez (Atletico Madrid), Pablo Ibanez (Atletico Madrid), Carles Puyol (FC Barcelona), Juanito (Real Betis), Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid), Joan Capdevila (Deportivo La Coruna) Midfielders: Francesc Fabregas (Arsenal/ENG), Andres Iniesta (FC Barcelona), Xavi (FC Barcelona), David Albelda (Valencia), Xabi Alonso (Liverpool/ENG), Luis Garcia (Liverpool/ENG), Jose Antonio Reyes (Real Madrid) Strikers: Fernando Torres (Atletico Madrid), David Villa (Valencia), Miguel Angel Angulo (Valencia)