There's a rash of Premiership players in Luis Aragones' selection for the World Cup Finals; Reina, Alonso and Garcia from Liverpool-Fabregas and Reyes of Arsenal-and Del Horno from Chelsea.

All of which leaves Fernando Morientes out in the cold in a squad that's top heavy on midfielders and light on strikers. His move to Liverpool hasn't been an unqualified success so he doesn't join his Anfield team mates.

The onward rise of Fabregas continues. He will be one of the youngest players in Germany and may even force a way into the starting line up. Reyes and Del Horno were expected to be in the 23 although Del Horno's form had been patchy since his move to Chelsea.

Reina looks to be the Number 2 to Real Madrid's Casillas while his team mate Garcia will probably be an impact player from the bench. Xavi Alonso has a lot of competition for a central midfield role, not least from the other Xavi at Barcelona.

 

IT has taken 15 years and so many missed matches that I've lost count, but tomorrow Ryan Giggs makes his first appearance away from home in a Wales friendly.

Ironically, it's not even against a country as John Toshack's team take on a Basque XI in Bilbao.

But anyone who reckons this will be an easy ride for Giggs and his Wales team might have to think again.

The Basques don't get many chances to get together as a team, but when they do they boast a formidable record.

Of their last 13 matches, which stretch back to 1993, they have only lost once, to Cameroon last Christmas. 

Among their victims at the Stadio San Mames in Bilbao are Russia (1-0), Yugoslavia (3-1), Nigeria (5-1), Ghana (3-2), Morocco (3-2) and Uruguay (5-1).

The Basques players come from Spain's La Liga and current Premiership aces such as Liverpool's Xavi Alonso, Chelsea's Asier Del Horno, Bolton's Ivan Campo and Middlesbrough's Gazika Mendieta have starred in their colours.

The Basque team to face Wales tomorrow will be made up of men who have directly faced Barcelona and Real Madrid this season in what many dub the greatest league in the world.

Their line-up will include a number of players from Osasuna, who finished fourth in the Spanish League and thus are in the Champions League next season.

So no one can exactly say Giggs has taken the easy option in pulling on a Wales shirt in an away friendly for the first time since he made his international bow way back in 1991.

Toshack, who knows a thing or two about football in northern Spain, tells us that 40,000 Basque fans screaming on their team in an intimidating Bilbao cauldron will be "an interesting experience" for his players.

"Only when they run out and first sample the atmosphere will they realise just what this game means to the Basques," said Toshack.

"The Basques don't get the opportunity to play representative matches too often, so it means that little bit more to them when they do."

So, just what do we make of this game? To be brutally honest, I'm not quite sure, particularly as I have seen Wales slip up in this sort of match before.

Notably in May 1996 when a side managed by Bobby Gould and containing Mark Hughes, Dean Saunders, Chris Coleman and Andrew Melville embarrassingly lost 2-1 to Third Division Leyton Orient.

There were only 5,000 fans inside Brisbane Road that day, and most of them were cheering for Wales.

Tomorrow night, in Bilbao, the noise levels will step up several decibels.

Wales could win, they could draw or could even lose. But, in the end, the result won't really matter.

What does are the 10 days the players are together as Toshack begins preparations in earnest for the first Euro 2008 qualifier against the Czech Republic in Prague in September.

Much has been made of Jason Koumas' withdrawal for personal reasons.

But it is a huge bonus for Wales that, Koumas apart, every other available player Toshack picked turned up in camp on Tuesday night.

Thus, Koumas, the injured Mark Delaney and Swansea's play-off hopeful Sam Ricketts apart, the Welsh boss has the bulk of his first-choice team.

As has already been well documented, that is highly unusual for a Wales friendly away from home at this time of year. Mark Hughes lost no fewer than 34 players for the last two games at this time of year in Norway and the USA.

Toshack, I'm told, had personally spoken to many of his senior stars to emphasise the importance of the trip as part of his planning for the Euro 2008 qualifiers.

His words have clearly worked because Giggs has turned up. So too Craig Bellamy, Simon Davies and Danny Gabbidon.

Bellamy and Gabbidon, in particular, must be itching to get away to recharge the batteries after an arduous season.

But, like Giggs, they have bought into the Toshack revolution and want to be part of the squad for this 10-day get-together because they realise how important it is.

As well as games against the Basques tomorrow and Trinidad and Tobago next weekend, Toshack will put his players through their paces with twice-a-day training sessions.

With a friendly also arranged against Bulgaria in August, Toshack's plan is to get the players fully focused upon exactly what he wants come the Czech match.

Toshack's squad has such a youthful vibe to it that many believe that whatever happens in the next Euros, the future can only be bright for Wales.

Teenagers like Nyatanga, Cotterill and Ledley will be looking to impress.

Youngsters barely into their 20s, like Price, Duffy, Crofts, Vaughan and James Collins aim to put down their markers.

And then we have people in their mid-20s like Earnshaw, Fletcher and Vaughan who will be aiming to convince the manager they should be first choices come the Euros.

On the face of it, the trip and results appear meaningless.

Clearly the Welsh players looking to impress don't see it that way.

And, if what Toshack says is right, they certainly won't when 40,000 Basques are screaming in their ears at 8.30pm tomorrow.

 

Luis Aragones has defended his decision to go with youth.

He surprisingly left out experienced duo Fernando Morientes and Ruben Baraja.

Aragones has decided to go with a squ

Seventeen of the players selected have yet to play in the biggest tournament in football, and 13 will be making their first appearance in an international competition.

'I wish I could have taken 34 players but, inevitably, I had to make a decision based on which players would be ideal for my tactics,' said Aragones.

Arsenal midfielder Cesc Fabregas, who turned 19 earlier this month, is the youngest player in Spain's squad.

Only six players figured in the 2002 World Cup - Raul, Iker Casillas, David Albelda, Xavi Alonso, Carles Puyol and Joaquin.ad which is short on World Cup experience.  

PARAGUAY: Teenage midfielder Jose Montiel has got the thumbs-up.

Montiel, 18, was one of a number of young players selected by coach Anibal Ruiz as Paraguay, who face England, Sweden and Trinidad & Tobago, head for their third successive World Cup Finals.

'This is the future of our football,' Ruiz told reporters.

'More than 50 per cent of this squad are young enough to play at another three World Cups.

'Montiel is part of a new generation which makes us optimistic about the capabilities of the young players.'

Other youngsters included were Bayern Munich midfielder Julio dos Santos, his club team-mate Roque Santa Cruz, forward Nelson Haedo Valdez and midfielders Edgar Barreto and Cristian Riveros.

ARGENTINA: Uncapped Independiente goalkeeper Oscar Ustari has beaten River Plate's German Lux to the third goalkeeping berth.

But the omission of Internazionale defender Javier Zanetti and Bayern Munich midfielder Martin Demichelis is the biggest talking point.

Argentina coach Jose Nestor Pekerman admitted he had anguished over making his final cuts.

'In all this period in charge of the national team, I've tried to encourage competition between players to motivate everybody to be in the World Cup,' he said.

'There were a lot of players who had a chance of being included. And a few big names had to give way, too.' -

 

Real Madrid are pondering a move for Liverpool midfielder Xabi Alonso.

The Spanish giants are looking for new blood in their engine room as they bid to keep up with bitter rivals Barcelona.

Arsenal teenager Cesc Fabregas is one of their targets after Fernando Martin replaced Florentino Perez as president recently.

And the latest man to be linked with a move to the Bernabeu is Liverpool ace Alonso.

He was close to a move to Real before eventually leaving Real Sociedad for Anfield in a £10million deal in the summer of 2004.

And now he's once again seen as a future lynchpin for Los Galacticos.

Spanish daily Marca claims Alonso was on the verge of joining Real two seasons ago, but the deal never came off because then coach Jose Antonio Camacho preferred Patrick Vieira instead.

And now the paper claims Real have rekindled their interest in the stylish Spanish international.

 

He said:

"The team is playing very well at the moment and we've just enjoyed good wins against the top 5.

"The Champions League is another competition and we know what we have to do. Our players have the experience of what it takes to win this competition and our idea tomorrow is the same, we want to score a goal and not concede if possible.

"It will be difficult because they are a good team with an experienced Manager and we have a lot of respect for them. They have a number of good players and their two central defenders are good in the air and can play the ball.

"Petit is a good player in midfield and of course there's Simao on the wing."

Benitez was asked about comments made by rival Managers this week, but he refused to be distracted from his team.

He said, "I like to see my team winning and not talk about other people, I have a clear idea about this. If people want to talk about us it must be because we're doing the right things and progressing."

 

Xabier Alonso Olano, commonly known as Xabi Alonso  (born 25 November 1981), is a Spanish footballer who currently plays his club football at Liverpool F.C. in England. He wears the number 14 shirt at Liverpool and is a midfielder.

He was signed by Rafael Benitez, the then newly appointed manager of Liverpool, from Real Sociedad for a fee of £10.5m. Prior to Real Sociedad, he played for SD Eibar. Alonso is considered by many to be one of the young stars of Spanish football and a considerable talent and played for his country at Euro 2004.

Player Profile

Alonso came through the youth ranks at Real Sociedad and made his debut for the San Sebastian outfit in the 1999/2000 season. His first match was against Logrones on the 1st of December 1999 in a Copa del Rey game. He made 14 further appearances that season.

The following season, in 2000/2001, Xabi spent the first part of the campaign on loan at minnows SD Eibar before returning to Real Sociedad later that season to break into the first team.

Season 2002/2003 was the campaign when Xabi Alonso came to prominence as a star in the making and was a key performer as Real Sociedad finished second in La Liga behind champions Real Madrid. He scored 8 goals in 34 games.

Alonso was called up to the Spain national team for the first time in 2003 and made his debut at the age of 21 in a 4-0 friendly win over Ecuador.

Alonso arrived at Liverpool from Real Sociedad for a fee in the region of 10.5 million in August 2004.

Xabi Alonso  made his Premiership debut for Liverpool against Bolton Wanderers at The Reebok Stadium on 29 August 2004, a game that Liverpool lost 1-0. His first goal for Liverpool came from a free-kick against Fulham on 16 October 2004. Liverpool were losing 2-0 at half-time, but Alonso's arrival as a substitute inspired a revival and an eventual 4-2 win.

Although a newcomer to the English league, Alonso has impressed with his exceptional range of passing and vision. After an initial settling in, he established himself as one of the mainstays of Liverpool's midfield. He has become a permanent fixture of Benitez's sides and has endeared many fans with his long range passing ability, and his deft touches to open opposition teams up.

After breaking his ankle following a tackle from Frank Lampard in Liverpool's 1-0 defeat to Chelsea on New Year's Day 2005, Alonso was ruled out of action for over 3 months. He made his return earlier than expected in the second leg of the Champions League quarter-final against Juventus. In the absence of skipper Steven Gerrard through suspension Alonso played for all 90 minutes as Liverpool gained an improbable 0-0 draw in Italy to defeat the eventual Italian Champions on aggregate. Gerrard would later repay the favour to Alonso in the very next round - when Alonso was himself suspended from the second leg of the semi-final against Chelsea, Gerrard steered Liverpool to a 1-0 win with the help of a Luis Garcia goal, putting Liverpool in the Final against Milan.

In the Champions League Final, Alonso played a crucial role as Liverpool completed an incredible comeback from 3-0 down at half-time to level the scores at 3-3. At 3-2, Liverpool were awarded a penalty, which Alonso stepped up to take. While Dida, Milan's Brazilian goalkeeper, managed to save the penalty, Alonso fired the rebound into the roof of the net, making it 3-3. Liverpool went on to win the European Cup on penalties, capping a successful first year for Xabi Alonso in England.

On January 7, 2006, in a thrilling F.A. Cup Third Round tie against Luton Town, Alonso assisted Liverpool to a 5-3 comeback victory, after being down 3-1 early in the second half, by scoring two amazing goals, one from 40 yards and the other from well inside his own half (65 yards).

Personal

Xabi comes from a famous footballing family. His dad Miguel Angel 'Periko' Alonso was a star for Barcelona and won two league titles with Real Sociedad. Xabi's brother, fellow midfielder Mikel Alonso, continues the family tradition at the latter club. He also has another brother named Jon who is a referee.

He has a girlfriend named Nagore and is close friends with Everton F.C player Mikel Arteta.

Honours

• 2004/05 UEFA Champions League with Liverpool FC
• 2005/06 European Super Cup with Liverpool FC