Riera warns Spanish teammates over Turkey

Liverpool’s Albert Riera warned his Spanish teammates that Turkey, who face the Euro 2008 champions in a World Cup qualifying game on Saturday, are a “very aggressive” team which “plays as one.”

“Turkey is a proud team, very patriotic,” he said. “They have a very aggressive game, hard… It’s a team that plays as one,” the midfielder said on Wednesday.

Valencia’s Juan Mata, who replaces the injured Andres Iniesta in midfield, said Turkey – who reached the Euro 2008 semi-finals – is Spain’s toughest opponent in the group.

Spain top their 2010 World Cup qualifying group, with four wins from four games, and have only conceded one goal in their last 10 matches.

Turkey are second in the group, which also includes Belgium, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Estonia and Armenia.