Spain coach Vicente del Bosque is wrestling with the challenge of replacing two automatic starters as his team prepare for Euro 2012.
Reigning champions Spain will be without the Barcelona centre-back Carles Puyol and striker David Villa.
Both men featured in Spain s Euro 2008 and 2010 FIFA World Cup triumph, with Villa finishing as top scorer in the former competition and joint top scorer during the latter.
A knee injury will keep Puyol out of the tournament in Poland and Ukraine, while Villa has failed to recover in time from a broken leg suffered in December.
We have two key players missing, del Bosque said.
Carles Puyol is one of them. He is a leader, an extraordinary defender.
David Villa s role in the last tournament was priceless. He has been our best scorer during the last few years, so it s a very sensitive loss.
He has had made a very gentle gesture in telling us that he is not ready to come and play. Without Villa we miss a very important player.
I have five very different players for the striker s position. (Fernando) Llorente, (Alvaro) Negredo, (Roberto) Soldado, (Fernando) Torres and Adrian are very different to David Villa and between themselves. I will choose the ones we need the most and the ones who fit best in the team.
Sevilla striker Negredo was named in the provisional pre-tournament squad by del Bosque, and the fringe player knows he must impress to earn himself a berth in the final roster.
We have a very positive competitiveness among the strikers, Negredo said.
All of us would like to stay, but there are top players bidding for it I also want to stay and I have to work hard so the coach can count on me in case he needs me.
At the other end of the pitch, Real Madrid defender Sergio Ramos will be expected to shoulder a greater share of responsibility in the absence of the experienced Puyol.
Ramos, fresh from winning the La Liga title under Jose Mourinho, is hoping the younger players called upon by Del Bosque can seize their chance to impress.
We have a mix of young and experienced players and I think the combination of both youngsters and veteran players makes the difference, he said.
We are working really well and I would like to congratulate the newcomers. If they remain with us it will mean that they are working well.
