The European Champions take on Azerbaijan on Tuesday evening (kick-off at 18:00 hours CET) in their last warm-up game ahead of the Confederations Cup. The goal hero from the Vienna final, returns to action for his country just two weeks after the Red’s ended the 2008/09 season at home to Spurs in the Premier League.

Azerbaijan and Spain will meet for the first time on the international football scene at the 30,000 capacity Tofig Bakhramov Stadium in Baku. Vicente Del Bosque’s side have not played a competitive game since their 2-1 away win against Turkey and they will be hoping to put on a positive show ahead of the Confederations Cup.

A win or draw for Spain on Tuesday would stretch their unbeaten run to 32 games, moving them ahead of both Hungary (31 games from June 1950 – July 1954) and Argentina (31 games from February 1991 – August 1993). The current record holders are Brazil (35 games from December 1993 – January 1996).

Should Spain avoid defeat against Azerbaijan; and also against their Confederations Cup group rivals New Zealand, Iraq and South Africa, they would set a new all-time unbeaten record.

The European Champions qualified for the event in South Africa thanks to their exploits at Euro 2008. A goal from Fernando Torres helped Spain to a 1-0 victory over Germany in the final, and that same goal also booked Vicente Del Bosque’s team a place in the Confederations Cup for the first time in the country’s history.

Azerbaijan arrive for the match on the back of a World Cup qualifying defeat in Baku. A solitary strike from Welsh striker Dave Edwards on Saturday helped Wales to secure a narrow victory over Berti Vogt’s side. The loss leaves Spain’s rivals second from bottom in Group Four with one point from five games.

Following the friendly, Fernando Torres and his team-mates will depart for South Africa where they will face Oceania champions New Zealand in their Confederations Cup debut on June 14.


Photo: J.A. Sirvent