Casillas wants to break ´curse´ at World Cup qualifier

Goalkeeper Iker Casillas, who has never won a match with Real Madrid at Deportivo La Coruna’s El Riazor stadium, hopes to break this “curse” when he plays for Spain there on Saturday in a World Cup qualifier against Belgium.

“I have never managed to win here but we hope to break this curse with the national squad. After when I come with Real Madrid it will be another story,” he told a news conference in La Coruna on Friday on the eve of the match.

Meanwhile, Valencia striker David Villa, the top scorer at the Euro 2008 championship which Spain won, said he hoped to put an end to a three-match goalless streak with the Spanish national team on Saturday.

“I am proud to see that people think it is strange that I have not scored during three matches. I hope to score on Saturday to put an end to this streak and so that Spain can be a bit closer to reaching the World Cup,” he said.

Villa has scored 31 times in 49 appearances for Spain. He last scored for the national team on June 20 during the side’s 2-0 win over South Africa in the Confederations Cup.

Spain currently sit six points clear of second-placed Bosnia Herzegovina in qualifying Group 5 with four games to go and a win over Belgium on Saturday coupled with a Bosnia loss at bottom side Armenia would see Spain nine points clear with three games left.