ULSAN, South Korea, 21 June — Spain have two issues on their mind ahead of tomorrow’s World Cup quarterfinal against co-hosts South Korea.
One is the fitness of golden boy striker Raul.
The other is how to keep back the red tide of their opponents and shut out the din of the home team’s fanatical fans.
Raul is laboring under a groin strain suffered in the Spaniards’ nerve-wracking penalty shootout win over Ireland last Sunday and team doctor Genaro Borras rates the 24-year-old as a major doubt.
Raul would normally be expected to line up either alongside Real Madrid clubmate Fernando Morientes or Diego Tristan of Deportivo La Coruna — but the latter pair face having to make the best of an untried partnership in their country’s most important match in recent memory.
Spanish coach Jose Antonio Camacho though is more likely to ponder other options, such as putting Tristan and Juan Carlos Valeron together in attack, the two being clubmates at Deportivo.
Valeron said Wednesday he would be willing to play anywhere in order to compete in the World Cup — but it was his withdrawn role against the Irish which left Spain short of firepower once Raul hobbled off.
Another possibility would be to move Barcelona playmaker Luis Enrique into a more offensive role and hustle the Koreans onto the back foot.
Raul says he is keeping his fingers crossed that he will feature in the game.
“Time is getting a little short — we’ll have to see how the injury goes,” Raul said Wednesday.
But he added that even without his services the Spaniards have the ability to see off the South Koreans.
“I am sure the team can get along without me. Then there are several days until the semifinal.”
Spain have always flattered to deceive at World Cups and went down to Italy in their last appearance in the last eight in 1994.
The Italians came within two minutes of booking a repeat before South Korea stunned them in extra-time on Tuesday and now, instead of meeting an old foe, Spain have a journey into the unknown — save that they know the crowd will whip the atmosphere into a frenzy.
Spain have just one semifinal appearance to their names, that coming in 1950.
But a 1996 European Championship is scant reward for a side of their pedigree. Barcelona defender Carles Puyol says this time might well be different.
“There’s no clear favorite. They are a tough side and we must ensure we attack them and hang onto the ball.
“We must make sure we won’t allow ourselves to be intimidated by the atmosphere,” Puyol told Marca newspaper.
“We mustn’t give the ball away — and we must do everything we can to ensure we reach the semifinals.”
Meanwhile, Spain will go into tomorrow’s match with a warning from Italian defender Christian Panucci ringing in their ears.
“I hope that Camacho and Spain watch out what happens in the next game. We’re out already but I wish Spain all the best,” said the former Real Madrid defender now with AS Roma.
South Korea’s ‘Mr. Ahn-tastic’
praises coach Hiddink
Ahn Jung-hwan, South Korea’s ‘Lord of the Ring’ whose golden goal against three-time champions Italy propelled an Asian team into the World Cup quarterfinals for just the second time, has thanked coach Guus Hiddink for having faith in his ability. Hiddink fiercely criticized the Italy-based striker, when he turned up to training camp a few months ago, for being unfit and unable to last more than 45 minutes of a match.
Ahn buckled under at training to earn his place and when Hiddink introduced him as a substitute against the United States in group play he repaid the coach with a headed equalizer.
Hiddink, who admits to being tough on Ahn at training, started Ahn in the matches against Portugal and Italy and the poster boy of Korean football delivered again with the golden goal which caused mass celebration in Korea and mass consternation in Italy.
“I thank Guus Hiddink for not taking me off the pitch towards the end of the Italy match, for believing in my ability,” said Ahn, dubbed ‘Lord of the Ring’ because he kisses his ring after scoring.
“If he had taken me off I would have regretted the evening for the rest of my life.” Stories emerging from Italy suggest that Ahn’s club side Perugia, where he has played for two seasons, might let him go for what has been perceived in some quarters as a ‘traitorous’ act.
Ahn has yet to comment on the reports but he told the Korea Times that his stint in Italy had helped him improve as a player.
“The reason for my good performance in this World Cup is that I have learned a lot from playing in Italy with Perugia,” said the player who prompted ‘Ahn-tastic’ headlines worldwide for his display against Italy.
