Spain's Riera wants chance to impress Del Bosque

By Mark Elkington

MADRID (Reuters) - Spain winger Albert Riera wants to make up for missing out on Euro 2008 by convincing coach Vicente del Bosque to give him a regular place in the squad for the 2010 World Cup campaign.

Liverpool's new recruit Riera was given a chance by Del Bosque on Tuesday after injury forced Sevilla's Diego Capel out of the squad to visit Estonia on Saturday, and Belgium four days later in Group Five qualifiers.

Former Spain boss Luis Aragones brought Riera into the reckoning last October while he still played for Espanyol, and the 26-year-old came off the bench on his debut to score in the 3-1 away win over Denmark in a Euro 2008 qualifier.

He went on to claim another four caps but was left out of the final squad to travel to Austria and Switzerland in June after Espanyol's season fell apart, and he missed out on picking up a winners' medal as Spain were crowned European champions.

"I was angry to have missed Euro 2008 because I was convinced they would do well, but it is no good feeling sorry for yourself and looking to the past. I have to focus on being there for the next one," Riera told a news conference on Wednesday.

Riera's call up takes the number of Liverpool players in the squad to five, along with Pepe Reina, Alvaro Arbeloa, Xabi Alonso, and Fernando Torres, but finding a starting place in a particularly talented midfield will be tough.

Del Bosque is likely to field first-choice strikers David Villa and a fit-again Torres up front in Tallinn, leaving creative duties in the hands of Xavi, Andres Iniesta and winger Santi Cazorla, with Alonso playing the holding role.

Spain top the group by two points with two wins from two, and are unbeaten in 25 matches after last month's victories over Bosnia and Armenia. They have never faced Estonia before.