Preview - Spain v England

England begin their preparations for Euro 2016 with a trip to Spain to face Vicente Del Bosque's in-form defending champions.

Spain, victorious in Vienna at Euro 2012, have won their last six matches, a run that stretches back to mid-June, and have kept clean sheets in four consecutive games against Slovakia, Macedonia, Luxembourg and Ukraine.

England beat Spain 1-0 in their last encounter thanks to Frank Lampard's second-half strike in a Wembley friendly, and Roy Hodgson's men head into Friday's game full of confidence after a perfect 10 wins from 10 in their European qualification campaign.

Originally scheduled for the Santiago Bernabeu in Madrid, Friday's friendly will instead take place at the 30,000 capacity Estadio Jose Rico Perez in Alicante.

Jamie Vardy is Hodgson's only injury concern - the Leicester striker picked up a knock in the Foxes' victory over Watford and is doubtful.

Wayne Rooney will be rested, which opens the door for Harry Kane to lead the attack. Hodgson confirmed the England captain will be available against France on Tuesday. Spurs duo Dele Alli and Eric Dier are in line for first international starts after Liverpool's James Milner pulled out of the squad with a hamstring injury earlier in the week.

Diego Costa could start for the hosts, but Del Bosque will be without David Silva (ankle), Sergio Ramos (shoulder) and Isco (muscle). The Real Madrid playmaker left Spain's training camp with an undisclosed muscular injury, and his absence could allow a rare start for Manchester United's Juan Mata or Celta Vigo's Nolito.

Spain have won three of the last four internationals with England, losing the last meeting in November 2011 at Wembley.

The last time England won away in Spain was in February 1987 - Gary Lineker scored all four goals in a 4-2 win for Sir Bobby Robson's side. In fact, England haven't scored in their last three matches in Spain under three different managers (Graham Taylor, Sven Goran Eriksson and Fabio Capello).

Spain have won 10 of their last 11 on home soil, losing only to Germany in November 2014. But England haven't conceded in their last four games - they last went five without conceding in October 2014.

The last team to play an international against Spain in Alicante were Scotland in 2011 (lost 3-1). In seven internationals, Spain have won six and drawn one (against Hungary in 1977).

Roy Hodgson is unbeaten in his last eight friendlies as England manager (W4 D4), last losing to Germany in November 2013.

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Capello Salary Too Rich for Russia

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A Russian Football Union executive has admitted that the governing body cannot afford to pay national coach Fabio Capello’s controversial £6.8m annual salary.

Sergei Stepashin, a member of the RFU’s executive committee, said Capello’s salary, which has not been paid at all since June, remained unaffordable.

“I can declare that the money to pay Capello is not there,” he said. “Clearly it’s wrong to fail to pay the salary of your national team’s coach, but when they signed the contract they should really have thought about how to fund it. Today we’re still looking for a source of funding.”

Capello admitted earlier this month that his patience over the dispute was running out, saying he felt “close to the limit … I’m somewhere near”.

The financial crisis at the RFU this week led to two members of Capello’s coaching staff, Christian Panucci and Massimo Neri, refusing to travel with the side to their Euro 2016 qualifier in Austria due to what the governing body called an ongoing “contractual dispute”.

The scale of Capello’s salary has repeatedly caused unrest in Russia, with the nationalist politician Vladimir Zhirinovsky branding him “a thief”in July, while fellow MP Oleg Pakholkov said the Italian was simply in the job for the salary: “I think Capello knew very well he would achieve nothing with our team, but he simply decided it was a good way to make money, he wanted to hoover up bundles of cash for his retirement.”

Capello’s contract runs through to the 2018 World Cup, which Russia will host. Russia’s sports minister, Vitaly Mutko, has previously suggested that the RFU’s failure to pay salaries had caused the team’s slump in form, as well as reputational damage.

“It doesn’t give either the team or the coach any extra motivation ... The whole situation doesn’t make Russia look good in any way.”

Russia are second in Euro 2016 qualifying Group G, behind Austria and level on points with Sweden.

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SVG Writes Off England 2014

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Sven-Goran Eriksson has written off England's chances of winning the World Cup next summer.

The 65-year-old Swede, now coach of Chinese Super League team Guangzhou R&F, led England to the quarter-finals in 2002 and 2006.

He told BBC Radio 5 live: "I don't believe they can win the World Cup in Brazil. Maybe in Russia in 2018. There are a lot of young players coming in.

"I think it's easier to win it there than in Brazil."

Roy Hodgson's side secured qualification for Brazil by winning their group but only find themselves in the second pot of seeds for the 6 December draw for next summer's tournament.

They will have to make history if they are to repeat their solitary World Cup win of 1966, as no European side have won the competition in South America.

FA chairman Greg Dyke has also played down England's hopes next year and targeted success in the 2022 World Cup.

Eriksson believes another run to the last eight, matching his own best with England, would not represent failure for Hodgson, whose predecessor Fabio Capello saw his team beaten by Germany in the second round in 2010.

He added: "Expectation does not seem to be what it was in the past and I think that's very good for the team.

"The quarter-finals would be very good. It is time for a semi-final or final."

However, Eriksson believes a winter break in English football is needed for success.

"It's not that difficult. Take one week in January and give the players a week off, then take them in and prepare for the game after," he said.

"I think everyone agrees if you take a break it will be very good for England.

"Is that the main thing holding England back? For sure, it's one thing, maybe the easiest thing. I know players would love it and they would feel better for the rest of the season."

Meanwhile, Eriksson has defended his former England captain David Beckham's professionalism following recent criticism from ex-Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson over the player's celebrity lifestyle.

Writing in his latest autobiography, the Scot remarked that Beckham was the "only player I managed who chose to be famous".

Eriksson added: "David Beckham, for me, every time he came to England camps he was an extremely professional football player. You asked yourself 'how could he handle it?' Wherever we went it was chaos.

"I think players were very much all right with that; it took the pressure off them. He was very professional then and he has been all his life.

"He was very good all the time he was captain."

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Capello and Striscia la Notizia

Fabio Capello has told an Italian TV programme that his resignation from then England manager's job "wasn't an escape" but, rather, was the result of a misunderstanding surrounding the decision to strip John Terry of the captaincy.

Speaking to a light-hearted Italian TV show, due to be aired on Friday night, the former AC Milan, Read Madrid and Juventus coach also explained that he has no intention of returning to work in Italy.

"I didn't flee, I left because there was a misunderstanding," he told Striscia la Notizia.

"I felt great but sometimes you decide to leave."

Capello quit as England manager on Wednesday following a meeting with the Football Association, a day after he had given an interview to Italian public TV in which he criticised his employers' decision to strip John Terry of the England captaincy due to allegations he used racist language.

When asked if he would consider a return to work in Italy – he has been linked in the Italian press with a move to Inter Milan – Capello was adamant.

"In Italy, no. Absolutely not. Now I want to relax," he added.

Speaking in Lugano, Switzerland, Capello was even asked what Queen Elizabeth II thought of the matter. "The Queen is above it all," he said.

The Football Association, meanwhile, have rejected claims they paid £1.5million in compensation to Capello following the Italian's resignation.

An FA spokesman said: "Media reports this week that Fabio Capello received a £1.5million pay-out are inaccurate.

"In yesterday's England media conferences, the FA repeatedly declined to discuss details regarding Fabio Capello's contract."