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Report: Fabregas a doubt for semifinal

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Photo by Ben Queenborough/ISIphotos.com

The Associated Press is reporting that Spain midfielder Cesc Fabregas injured his right leg in training and is doubtful for Wednesday's semifinal against Germany.

Fabregas, who has been one of Vicente del Bosque's first substitutes off the bench, figured to have a larger role in the semifinal given the uncertainty of Fernando Torres' status.

Should Fabregas not be available and Torres not start, Fernando Llorente would be the odds-on favorite to crack the starting XI alongside David Villa.

What do you make of this development? Do you think Spain can defeat Germany without Fabregas and an effective Torres?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. Eh, Spain and Germany haven’t lost many games lately. Yes, they have each lost, but their records over the last year or so have been outstanding.

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  2. Boo hoo, we can’t bring a world class 23-year-old off the bench.

    Spain won’t miss him. Iniesta has been amazing. Llorente will come on and he will play well if Torres can’t go. Cesc adds a calming effect off the bench and is another dangerous passer, but Spain can do just fine without him.

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  3. I think this hurts spain, who have looked their best when Torres comes out and Fabregas comes in. Even without Fabregas they should start 5 in the midfield wiht Torres on the bench.

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  4. Hiding all the good play?!?! Can you even remember the last time the Dutch lost a game? This is the year of the Orange. It’s not always pretty, but they find a way to defeat whoever is on the field with them.

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  5. kind of. spain only really plays well when they can hit the short pass.

    all you need is one extra cm in and you disrupt the flow. when spain added that extra wing/midfielder during paraguay it realy opened things up for them to get the ball forward.

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  6. I think too many people are judging Torres by his reputation, rather than the actual player during this WC. Torres will probably start, but he shouldn’t. He looked absolutely awful against Paraguay.

    Besides, Spain play much better when they have five midfielders, and they’ve never played particularly well with both Torres and Villa up front (even before Torres’ injury). Villa and Torres’ lack of chemistry was highly evident in Spain’s loss to the US a year ago.

    If Fabregas can’t go, I think del Bosque should start Pedro. Spain really only started to take over the match against Paraguay when he came in for Torres.

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  7. No way at all in hell do the Dutch win it. Either of the teams in the other semi will defeat them. Unless the Dutch were hiding all the good play somewhere so nobody could see it before the final.

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  8. It would be a huge mistake for Spain to start anyone but Torres. Germany is the first team in the tournament that is willing to play an open game with Spain. Torres is at his best when the game is stretched.

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  9. If Fabregas can’t go then Torres has to start. But at the end of the day it’s not going to matter because the Dutch are going to win it all.

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  10. I think Spain stacks up better against Germany than most people do, I guess, but thought Cesc would be v. useful in that game. Too bad, he’s always fun.

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