Spain won't risk Raul unless he's fit

Spain will not risk Raul in their World Cup quarter-final against Korea unless he is 100% fit.

Raul is struggling with a thigh injury and has just days to recover before Spain take on South Korea in an historic quarter-final.

‘‘I think it will be hard for him. Because we are playing in the quarter-finals. He will be marked specially by the Koreans and he has to be 100% fit or else he could suffer a setback and miss the rest of the competition,’’ coach Jose Antonio Camacho said.

‘‘He is being treated almost 24 hours a day so he has to improve, but it’s all relative. All we can do is support him and hope he is better as soon as possible.

‘‘He will want to play even though he’s only at 50%, but he won’t play unless he’s 100%.’’

Faced with the possibility of losing his world class striker and the wave of euphoria that has swept South Korea since their victory Italy in the last round, Camacho is wary of what Guus Hiddink’s side can produce and fears the referee may find it hard to be impartial in Gwangju.

‘‘I wanted Italy because they had had a key player sent off. It may have been a more attractive game for us to play and the referee would have been at 50%,’’ he said.

‘‘However, now we are here against Korea and we have to fight against the way Poland, Portugal and Italy suffered against them.’’