Spaniards set to play

Last updated : 28 July 2006 By Al Campbell
Pepe Reina, Xabi Alonso and Luis Garcia have returned to pre-season training after an extended break following the World Cup. All three are set to play their first pre-season friendly tomorrow, although the English contingent are set to be rested again.

"We will see with all the squad together in Switzerland how they work," said Rafael Benitez.

"When you've been out, sometimes you switch off but watching the players this week, they look like they want to start again.

"They have seen the new boys and will be really, really excited for next season.

"But they will need some time and the idea is to use the majority of players we have used in the first two games this weekend.

"Maybe we'll play the Spanish players because they arived a little bit earlier, but the English players will play at the end of the training camp.

"Always in pre-season you need to think about how the players work and know their games.

"They are working really, really hard but it is really difficult because we haven't had the players who played in the World Cup, they are just arriving now."