With their golden age behind them Spain get ready to go again on Thursday night in Paris against Didier Deschamps’ French team. With Xabi Alonso and Xavi Hernandez recently retired and the horror-show memories of losing to Holland and Chile in Brazil still fresh in the mind can they rebuild in time to be a force at France 2016? We answer some key questions. What is the mood like in their first game since the World Cup failure? Melancholic. Wednesday morning’s papers were full of the team photos of the last Spain side that played in the Saint Denis Stadium. David Villa, Xabi Alonso, Xavi, Gerard Pique, Alvaro Arbeloa, Victor Valdes and Nacho Monreal all started in that crucial World Cup qualifier that Spain won 1-0 last year but will not be on the pitch when the game kicks off on Wednesday.

Original Article: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2743735/How-Spain-fare-without-Alonso-Xavi-against-France-Thursday-night.html
Original Video: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/video/football/video-1117645/A-new-look-Spain-team-train-ahead-France-friendly.html

Daily Mail Facebook: http://facebook.com/dailymail
Daily Mail IG: http://instagram.com/dailymail
Daily Mail Snap: https://www.snapchat.com/discover/Daily-Mail/8392137033
Daily Mail Twitter: http://twitter.com/MailOnline
Daily Mail Pinterest: http://pinterest.co.uk/dailymail
Daily Mail Google+: https://plus.google.com/+DailyMail/posts

Get the free Daily Mail mobile app: http://dailymail.co.uk/mobile

source