Buenos Aires: Argentina have called up 16 players largely regarded as certainties in their World Cup squad for a two-day get-together in Madrid early next week.

The 16 are all with European clubs, except for goalkeeper Roberto Abbondanzieri, who will travel to Madrid on Sunday after playing for Boca Juniors in the Argentine league.

There is one surprise in AS Roma defender Leandro Cufre, who won the second of his two caps in March 2005, while Lionel Scaloni, on loan at West Ham United, has also been merely a fringe player.

Listed players

Goalkeepers: Roberto Abbondanzieri (Boca Juniors), Leonardo Franco (Atletico Madrid); Defenders: Nicolas Burdisso (Inter Milan), Gabriel Milito (Real Zaragoza), Juan Pablo Sorin (Villarreal), Fabricio Coloccini (Deportivo Coruna), Leandro Cufre (AS Roma), Roberto Ayala (Valencia), Gabriel Heinze (Manchester United), Lionel Scaloni (West Ham United); Midfielders: Maximiliano Rodriguez (Atletico Madrid), Esteban Cambiasso (Inter Milan), Luis Gonzalez (Porto), Juan Roman Riquelme (Villarreal); Forwards: Lionel Messi (Barcelona), Hernan Crespo (Chelsea).

 

No surprises

Belgrade: Serbia and Montenegro manager Ilija Petkovic said there would be no new names in his 23-man World Cup squad to be announced on May 15, the B 92 website reported on Saturday. “There will be very few surprises, if any. The group of players who qualified for Germany have earned their places in the squad and I think they ought to be rewarded for their efforts,” he said.

 

Kehl in doubt

Frankfurt: Sebastian Kehl's place in Germany's World Cup squad could be in doubt after the midfielder suffered an ankle injury on Saturday. “It could be a ligament tear,” Dortmund Sporting director Michael Zorc said.

(Reuters)