Fabregas Gives Fans Hope With Assurances Of World Cup Fitness

Last summer’s Confederations Cup was supposed to give us a chance to see a match-up of the world’s two soccer titans: Spain and Brazil. A mammoth upset by the United States kept Spain from a finals meeting with Brazil, but that was not enough to reshape the soccer world. As it concerns the international game, it is still Spain, Brazil, and everybody else, and after a World Cup draw that should keep both teams from meeting before the final, soccer fans are hoping the biggest stage of all will be used for (what would be) one of the more anticipated finals of all-time.

There is a new threat to this potential match-up: injuries; specifically, to the Spanish side. Fernando Torres recently underwent knee surgry. Andres Iniesta has been a prolonged absence for Barcelona. Xavi Hernández is playing with a thigh tear, while Cesc Fabregas - the likely understudy for Iniesta and Hernández - broke his leg in March.

While the cliché of one player making-or-breaking a team’s chances has been disproven numerous times, there would seem a noticeable gap between Brazil’s potential and Spain’s should the Spanish team not get a couple of their stars healthy.

Count Fabregas as one who should be ready, according to the Arsenal star:

“I am pleased to say that my recovery from a cracked fibula is on schedule,” he said.

”I have started jogging for the first time, and it looks as if I will begin running again properly tomorrow.

”I am happy with how things are going and now I just have to be patient, making sure I come back as strongly as I can.

”On May 24, I will join up with the Spanish national team and should be able to join in a bit when we play Saudi Arabia five days later.

“The timing is looking good for the World Cup, but I am sad not to have played a part in the end of Arsenal’s season.”

Spain’s loss to the United States remains their only loss in over three years, and although they have never finished better than fourth at the World Cup, the two-time European champions remain with Brazil on an island by themselves.

Fabregas’s return to healthy will help keep the Spaniards as co-favorites, but the rest of the squad is starting to show the strain of long club seasons and little summer rest. At the heart of the Spanish team is a Barcelona contingent that has had their club seasons stretched by Champions League runs, their summers taxed by the European Championships and the Confederations Cup - stresses few of the Brazilians have had to endure. Both sets of players have had to deal with World Cup qualifying, matches which only seem to add to Spain’s burden.

Fabregas may be healthy, Torres has said he’ll be ready, and Hernández is still playing. Spain may be close to full health, though their workload may keep them far from full fitness.

If Spain were to go to South Africa and disappoint, so be it, but for their championship aspirations to be derailed by injuries before they kick-off against Switzerland on June 16 would disappoint more than just fans of Spain.