Del Bosque: We won't take risks with Ramos

 Del Bosque: We won't take risks with Ramos

MADRID, Oct. 15 (Xinhua) -- Spain coach Vicente del Bosque said this Monday that he will not take any risks with the fitness¹ of Real Madrid defender² Sergio Ramos when Spain takes on France in their World Cup qualifying³ tie on Tuesday.

The game is vital for both sides, who are clearly the strongest teams in their qualifying group and although they will play in Paris in the return leg next year, whoever wins in Madrid will take a huge step towards qualifying directly for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

Both Spain and France have won their two previous qualifying games with Spain cruising⁴ past Belarus 4-0 on Friday night. The only bad news for Spain was the fact that Ramos picked up a muscle problem.

With Carles Puyol and Gerard Pique⁵ out with injuries, losing Ramos would make Del Bosque reorganize his defense⁶ with perhaps Raul Albiol partnering Sergio Busquets in defense, but despite those problems, Del Bosque won't risk Ramos for the important tie.

"I won't push him(Ramos) into the side, if he is not fit enough someone else will play," said Del Bosque.

"He says he is better and we are confident that he will play tomorrow, but if he isn't someone else will play as we won't take risks," added the Spain coach.

"We are not going to change much, France's attack has not changed much (Frank) Ribery and Karim Benzema are the same and Diaby, who was in fine form with Arsenal⁷, is injured," said Del Bosque, whose side defeated France 2-0 earlier this year in the semifinal of the European Championships.

"They have made changes in central defense and in midfield since (Didier) Deschamps took over as coach, but they still have the same wide players and strikers. They have picked up a different tone⁸, but it's still just the start of a new era for them," he commented.

Del Bosque also had words for striker Fernando Torres who will return to the Calderon Stadium, where he used to play for Atletico Madrid.

"He is going back home, but we are all motivated against a side that has an excellent past and a very good future. We want to take a big step towards qualification, there are 15 points left to play for, but our two games against France are vital," he insisted.

1 fitness   

n.适合，适当，健康，健身

参考例句：

• They're doing exercises to improve their fitness.他们为增强体质而做体操。
• No one questions her fitness for the job.没人怀疑她能胜任这项工作。

2 defender   

n.保卫者，拥护者，辩护人

参考例句：

• He shouldered off a defender and shot at goal.他用肩膀挡开防守队员，然后射门。
• The defender argued down the prosecutor at the court.辩护人在法庭上驳倒了起诉人。

3 qualifying   

使具有资格的

参考例句：

• players who fail at the pre-qualifying stage 在预选赛中淘汰掉的选手
• A doctoral candidate is required to pass a qualifying examination. 考博士需通过一个资格考试。

4 cruising   

adj.巡航的v.乘船巡游( cruise的现在分词 )；以快而平稳的速度长距离行驶；巡航；轻而易举赢得（或获得）

参考例句：

• The car was cruising along at 100 kilometres an hour. 这辆汽车平稳地以每小时100公里的速度行驶。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• They will go cruising in the Mediterranean. 他们将在地中海上巡游。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 pique   

v.伤害…的自尊心，使生气 n.不满，生气

参考例句：

• She went off in a fit of pique.她一赌气就走了。
• Tom finished the sentence with an air of pique.汤姆有些生气地说完这句话。

6 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

7 arsenal   

n.兵工厂，军械库

参考例句：

• Even the workers at the arsenal have got a secret organization.兵工厂工人暗中也有组织。
• We must be the great arsenal of democracy.我们必须成为民主的大军火库。

8 tone   

n.语气，音调，气度，色调；vt.（up）增强

参考例句：

• There was a tone of mockery in his voice.他说话的语气含有嘲笑的意味。
• Holmes used an informal,chatty tone in his essays.霍姆斯在文章中语气轻松随便。