Euro 2012 preview: Lithuania v Spain

Concerns over the pitch in Kaunas have marred the build-up to the clash between Spain and Lithuania in their Euro 2012 qualifier on Tuesday.

The world champions make the trip to Eastern Europe looking to maintain their perfect record in Group I, although the match may not even go ahead unless the pitch improves in the build-up to the match.Spanish midfielder Andres Iniesta dubbed the pitch at the S.Darius and S.Girenas Stadium as ‘not the best’, but says his side will be ready to play.”From the pictures we have seen it reminds me of the dirt pitches we used to play on when we were young,” Iniesta told reporters on Sunday.”Whether to play or not isn’t our decision, that’s up to the referee and UEFA. Obviously they aren’t the best conditions, but if we have to play we will be ready to do so.”Real Madrid defender Alvaro Arbeloa also voiced his discontent with the pitch, while reports in AS indicate that Spain may ask UEFA to investigate the pitch before the match.”We hope the pitch improves over the next few days so we will be able to play. What worries us is that there could be injuries and this would be dangerous,” Arbeloa said.If the match does go ahead, Euro 2008 and 2010 World Cup champions Spain will be short favourites.But Lithuania believe they have a chance and are heading into the match with confidence after a 2-0 friendly victory over Euro 2012 co-hosts Poland on Friday.”You have to believe, otherwise you’ll never win,” Lithuania manager Raimondas Zutautas said.”There is no need to motivate the men. Everyone knows they are playing the champions.”"The key will be to break down Spain’s play because if we give them possession easily, it’ll be extremely difficult.”Lithuanian defender Marius Stankevicius, who plies his trade at club level with Valencia in Spain’s La Liga, believes that the ‘nothing to lose’ mentality will help his side. Like Iniesta and Arbeloa, however, he also expressed his disappointment with the pitch.”I am sad about the conditions in which we are receiving teams such as Poland and Spain. It’s a shame for Lithuania,” Stankevicius said.Stankevicius will need to be at his best if his side are to claim an unlikely point, with Barcelona striker David Villa just one of the attacking threats Lithuania will need to combat.Villa netted a brace in Friday’s 2-1 win over the Czech Republic, elevating him past Raul as the country’s leading goalscorer with 46 strikes.Villa did not score when the two countries met in Salamanca in October, but Spain won 3-1 without undue discomfort on that occasion and are favoured to do the same again on Tuesday.

Mon 28 March, 2011