The Spanish press are heavily reporting a start for our Captain in tonight’s mouth watering clash against the Germans.

Fernando Torres will finally be dropped to the bench and Cesc will start playing in the same position he takes up for Arsenal, the free role behind the striker.

There were fears our man may not even make the bench due to injury, but thankfully he has been given the all clear and is now ready to step up and show the World what a perfect number 10 he has grown into… courtesy of Arsenal Football Club.

Spanish boss Del Bosque allayed any fears

“He has trained well. We were quite worried on Monday because he took a hit in the same place as his injury but he is available to play.”

Spain will cruise to a victory tonight, they have been getting through playing with 10 men in recent weeks, now the news of Torres’s dropping and Cesc’s starting berth are public knowledge, it does not take too much thinking to come to this conclusion.

The Germans have done astoundingly well, and to be fair the Spanish defence does look shaky at times, but I just cannot fathom the Spanish losing with a midfield of  Xavi, Alonso, Iniesta and Fabregras.

David Villa, starting in the centre forward role for the first time this World Cup, will have a field day against the cumbersome Mertesecker.

I hope we get a close game, maybe some excitement dragged into the extra time period, followed by the tension of penalties, but I cannot see it.

Germany’s youngsters will get a wake up call tonight against the European Champions.

Experience will finally be the killer blow for the wonderfully spirited German side, who have played the best football in the tournament, but the best side does not always win the thing.

Holland could easily win the World Cup this weekend, but they bore me to death… I support them out of loyalty to Robin, but in all honesty they are a Mourinho style team that employs 2 thugs in centre midfield to bust up the opposition.

Not total football, and I’m sure Johan will make some noises about this should the Dutch win the Cup or not.

We have to be careful that football does not go back to the dark ages with both Inter and Holland winning the biggest trophies in 2010 via a deployment of defensive football, looking to hit on the break.

For this reason, I will root for Spain to win the World Cup, or the Germans if they somehow make it through tonight.

Attacking, open, expansive football is to be praised as the best entertainment known to man.

It should be heralded as such, praised to the high heavens when a winning team plays pure football, not rope-a-dope football.