Champions Spain set to clinch Euro 2012 spot

Madrid: European champions Spain host Liechtenstein on Tuesday with a chance to clinch a spot in Euro 2012 with a victory.

The title-holders will be heavy favorites to do so, having won all five previous qualifiers, while Liechtenstein languish in last place in Group I.

Spain don't want to let the chance slip away.

"Whenever you play for the national team you try to win all the games and play at 100 percent," said Manchester City forward David Silva, adding that wrapping up the classification would give coach Vicente del Bosque the opportunity to "try out new players."

Spain lead the group with 15 points. After a draw with Scotland, the Czech Republic are second with 10 points. Scotland and Lithuania both have five points. Liechtenstein have four.

If Spain win Tuesday's match in the northern city of Logrono, they will match their best-ever run with 12 straight victories in competitive games.

Spain's main task will be shoring up a defense missing Barcelona centre-backs Carles Puyol and Gerard Pique. Since last summer's World Cup victory, Spain have conceded 17 goals in 13 games, including various lacklustre performances in friendlies.

Spain's defence was again exposed in Friday's friendly against Chile as they conceded two goals before the Barcelona midfield connection of Andres Iniesta and Cesc Fabregas rallied their team to a 3-2 comeback win.

Atletico Madrid centre-back Alvaro Dominguez, Sporting Gijon defender Alberto Botia and Barcelona B player Martin Montoya could get their debut with the national squad if Del Bosque opts not to repeat his experiment of pushing midfielder Javi Martinez back into the centre of the defence.

"(Puyol and Pique) are great defenders and their absence is noticed," said Fabregas on Sunday. "But that isn't an excuse. We are world champions because we have a squad with multiple options."

"We aren't here because of two defenders but rather because of the whole team."

Liechtenstein have also shown improvement in recent outings.

The middle-European minnows are undefeated in their last two qualifiers, stringing together a 2-0 win over Lithuania with a scoreless draw against the Baltic side.

But Liechtenstein will have to find a way to challenge Spain's midfield mastery.

Since winning the 2008 European championship, Spain's success has been modeled on Barcelona's one-touch passing style. For Fabregas, the true engine of Spain is his new club teammate Iniesta.

"(Iniesta) is a special player that makes all of us better," Fabregas said. "He is at a perfect age to become the leader of the national team, and we have to help him in that role. It is incredible to play with him on Barca and the national team."

While Barcelona midfielder Xavi Hernandez can pass Raul Gonzalez as Spain's most capped outfield player with his 103rd appearance, striker Fernando Torres will surely look to break a year-long scoring drought for the national side.

Torres last found the back of the net for Spain on September 3 of last year - against Liechtenstein. The struggling Chelsea striker scored a double in the Spaniards' 4-0 rout.