Spanish soccer team a joke: Joaquin

Madrid: Valencia winger Joaquin, dropped from the Spain squad for Saturday's Euro 2008 qualifier against Sweden, has said the national team is in a state of disarray and that coach Luis Aragones has no idea how to deal with it.

"Right now the national team is a joke, it's in chaos and not even Luis knows which way to turn," the 25-year-old winger told Punto Radio on Thursday night.

"I know what I'm saying won't help me get back into the squad but it's what I feel. All that is left to me is to work hard to try and regain the confidence of the coach."

The build-up to the Sweden game has been overshadowed by a national debate over Aragones's decision to drop captain Raul for the first time in 10 years for a reason other than injury.

Aragones's future as national coach has also been questioned following the team's shock 3-2 defeat to Northern Ireland in their last qualifier.

The 68-year-old tendered his resignation shortly after last month's game in Belfast but reversed that decision almost immediately.

Joaquin, who has played 42 games for Spain, was clearly put out by the fact that attention was focused on the decision to drop Raul.

"The press are only talking about the fact that Raul has been left out but they haven't said anything about me," he said.

The winger, who has been replaced in the squad by club colleague Miguel Angel Angulo, said that Raul did not deserve to be dropped after scoring three goals in a week for Real Madrid.

"There were many other times when Raul could have been left out but this week he deserved to be in the team and these sort of things unsettle you."

Spain are in joint second place in Group F, three points behind leaders Sweden with three points from two games.

Aragones is expected to ring the changes in the starting lineup following the defeat to Northern Ireland, bringing in Real Betis centre half Juanito and Deportivo Coruna left back Joan Capdevila.

Barcelona's Andres Iniesta and Angulo are favourites to start in midfield alongside Arsenal's Cesc Fabregas and Valencia's David Albelda.