Defending European champions Spain will be hoping to all but seal their place in next year's Euro 2016 tournament when they face Group C leaders Slovakia in a qualifier on Saturday.

The visitors head to Spain with a 100% record from their six outings so far, and are the only side to have taken points off the reigning champions.

Spain

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Spain suffered something of a surprise defeat in their second outing of the qualifying campaign, losing 2-1 to Slovakia, but they have bounced back well with comfortable wins over Luxembourg and Belarus, followed by 1-0 wins in their return match against Belarus and Ukraine.

Goalkeeper David de Gea has had plenty of distractions to deal with in the build-up to this match, having not played for club Manchester United yet this season amid transfer speculation, before seeing his proposed move to Real Madrid dramatically collapse ahead of this week's transfer deadline.

Manchester City midfielder David Silva is the team's top scorer so far in qualifying, netting three times in their six outings so far. Paco Alcacer and newly-signed Chelsea winger Pedro have also been among the goals though.

Despite sitting second in their group, Spain are the top scorers in Group C, netting 15 times so far, which is twice as many as this weekend's opponents.

Spain have another qualifier three days later against Macedonia. If Vicente del Bosque's side take four points or more from the two fixtures and Ukraine lose their next two games, it will be enough for the Spanish team to secure their place at next summer's tournament.

Spain have only failed to qualify for one of the last nine European Championships, missing out in 1992. However, they have won the last two tournaments without losing a match.

Recent form: WLWLWW

Slovakia

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Slovakia have been something of a surprise package in the Euro 2016 qualifiers. The team was seeded in the third pot when the draw for the qualifiers was made, but they have a 100% record so far.

Victory in this match would virtually guarantee Slovakia's place in next summer's tournament, putting the side nine points clear of third-placed Ukraine with three matches to go. However, the team is already guaranteed a top-three finish, which will see them into a playoff at least.

With a match against third-placed Ukraine coming up just three days after the clash with Spain, Slovakia will be able to confirm their automatic qualification in their next fixture if they avoid defeat in this game.

The goal-scoring prowess of Marek Hamsik and Juraj Kucka has been key for Jan Kozak's side so far, with the pair scoring five of the team's 13 goals so far.

Slovakia have never qualified for the European Championships since the dissolution of Czechoslovakia in 1992, finishing fourth in their last two qualifying campaigns, although they did make it to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, which is the nation's only major tournament to date.

Recent form: WWWWWW

Team News

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Slovakia will be without captain and Liverpool defender Martin Skrtel, as the yellow card he picked up against Macedonia last time out renders him suspended for this tie, along with midfielder Juraj Kucka, who has two goals so far in this campaign.

Marek Hamsik will captain the side in Skrtel's absence, while Lukas Tesak could make his debut in defence after receiving his first call-up at the age of 30.

With De Gea's transfer saga still fresh in the goalkeeper's mind, Iker Casillas is likely to continue between the posts for the home side.

Eight Premier League players are included in Del Bosque's side, including Chelsea forwards Pedro and Diego Costa, who along with Paco Alcacer are the only strikers in the squad.

Spain possible starting lineup:
Casillas, Ramos, Alba, Juanfran, Carvajal, Iniesta, Busquets, Silva, Isco, Costa, Alcacer

Slovakia possible starting lineup:
Mucha, Pekarik, Hubocan, Svento, Tesak, Hamsik, Stoch, Mak, Sestak, Vittek, Nemec

Head To Head

This will be Spain's sixth meeting since Slovakia's formation in 1992. Slovakia have only won one of the previous five ties between the two sides, but it was their most recent game earlier in this qualifying campaign.

Slovakia secured a draw with Spain in 2005 during a playoff to qualify for the 2006 World Cup, but the Spaniards had already won the first leg 5-1, allowing them to secure a 6-2 aggregate win.

Their only other meeting on Spanish soil came in 1996, when Spain clinched a comfortable 4-1 victory in Tenerife.

We say: Spain 2-0 Slovakia

When Slovakia beat Spain, the current European champions were going through a transitional period after several veterans retired following their World Cup exit. The side is now much more settled, and being back on home soil should help Del Bosque's side take the win. Meanwhile, the visitors will miss influential captain Martin Skrtel and in-form midfielder Juraj Kucka.

Written by
Sian Cowper

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