EUROPEAN QUALIFIERS - 2014/16 SEASON MATCH PRESS KITS Estadi Ciutat de València - Valencia Monday 8 September 2014 20.45CET (20.45 local time) Spain Group C - Matchday 1 FYR Macedonia Last updated 03/06/2015 06:13CET EUROPEAN QUALIFIERS OFFICIAL SPONSORS Match background 2 Legend 3 1 Spain - FYR Macedonia Monday 8 September 2014 - 20.45CET (20.45 local time) Match press kit Estadi Ciutat de València, Valencia Match background Chastened from their early exit at the FIFA World Cup finals in Brazil, Spain will look to get back to winning competitive ways as they take on the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia in the opening round of UEFA EURO 2016 Group C fixtures. Match background • Spain are unbeaten in 35 UEFA European Championship and FIFA World Cup qualifying games (W32 D3) since a 2-0 UEFA EURO 2008 qualifying loss to Sweden in Solna on 7 October 2006. • Twenty-seven games have passed (W23 D4) since Spain's last competitive loss on home soil – 1-0 against Greece in Zaragoza in a 7 June 2003 UEFA EURO 2004 qualifier. • Spain's record in three games against FYROM is W3 D0 L0 (W1 D0 L0 in Spain – W2 D0 L0), and they have yet to concede in a competitive encounter with their guests. • The sides' only previous competitive meetings were in EURO '96 qualifying. On 12 October 1994, Javier Clemente's Spain beat Andon Doncevski's FYROM 2-0 in their opening encounter in Skopje, Julio Salinas (15, 24) scoring both goals. The return fixture in Elche on 15 November 1995 ended 3-0 to Spain, Kiko (9), Javier Pereda (28) and José Luis Caminero (78) the scorers. • Their only encounter since then, a friendly in Skopje on 12 August 2009, was a different story. Goran Pandev (8, 33) struck twice on the break to give Mirsad Jonuz's home side a 2-0 lead, but second-half goals from Fernando Torres (51), Gerard Piqué (54) and Albert Riera (56) earned a 3-2 win for Vicente del Bosque's side. • In the nations' seven meetings in UEFA age-group competitions, Spain's record is W6 D1 L0. The FYROM side that held Spain to a 0-0 draw in a 4 November 1997 UEFA European Under-16 Championship qualifier in Segovia is the only Macedonian team to have avoided defeat against Spanish opponents in any UEFA competition. • In the only UEFA encounters between the nations' clubs, RC Celta de Vigo beat FK Pelister 3-0 at home and 2-1 away in the 2000 UEFA Intertoto Cup third round. 2 Spain - FYR Macedonia Monday 8 September 2014 - 20.45CET (20.45 local time) Match press kit Estadi Ciutat de València, Valencia Legend :: Previous meetings Goals for/against: Goal totals include the outcome of disciplinary decisions (e.g. match forfeits when a 3-0 result is determined). Goals totals do not include goals scored during a penalty shoot-out after a tie ended in a draw :: Squad list Qual.: Total European Qualifiers appearances/goals for UEFA EURO 2016 only. FT: Total UEFA EURO 2016 appearances/goals in final tournament only. Overall: Total international appearances/goals. DoB: Date of birth Age: Based on the date press kit was last updated D: Disciplinary (*: misses next match if booked, S: suspended) :: Team facts EURO finals: The UEFA European Championship was a four-team event in 1960, 1964, 1968, 1972 and 1976 (when the preliminary round and quarter-finals were considered part of qualifying). From 1980 it was expanded to an eight-team finals and remained in that format in 1984, 1988 and 1992 until 1996, when the 16-team format was adopted. UEFA EURO 2016 is the first tournament to be played as a 24-team finals. Records of inactive countries A number of UEFA associations have been affected by dissolution or splits of member associations. For statistical purposes, the records of these inactive countries have been allocated elsewhere: therefore, all Soviet Union matches are awarded to Russia; all West Germany – but not East Germany – matches are awarded to Germany; all Yugoslavia and Serbia & Montenegro matches are awarded to Serbia; all Czechoslovakia matches are allocated to both the Czech Republic and Slovakia. Abandoned/forfeited matches For statisical purposes, when a match has been started and then abandoned but later forfeited, the result on the pitch at the time of abandonment is counted. Matches that never started and were either cancelled or forfeited are not included in the overall statistics. Competitions Other abbreviations (aet): After extra time pens: Penalties No.: Number og: Own goal ag: Match decided on away goals P: Penalty agg: Aggregate Pld: Matches played AP: Appearances Pos.: Position Comp.: Competition Pts: Points D: Drawn R: Sent off (straight red card) DoB: Date of birth Res.: Result ET: Extra Time sg: Match decided by silver goal GA: Goals against t: Match decided by toss of a coin GF: Goals for W: Won gg: Match decided by golden goal Y: Booked L: Lost Y/R: Sent off (two yellow cards) Nat.: Nationality N/A: Not applicable Disclaimer: Although UEFA has taken all reasonable care that the information contained within this document is accurate at the time of publication, no representation or guarantee (including liability towards third parties), expressed or implied, is made as to its accuracy, reliability or completeness. Therefore, UEFA assumes no liability for the use or interpretation of information contained herein. More information can be found in the competition regulations available on UEFA.com. 3.