Llorente surprised by Spain call

Juventus striker Fernando Llorente wasn’t expecting to be selected for Spain’s friendlies versus Equatorial Guinea and South Africa.

The forward was a late addition to the squad after Atletico Madrid’s Diego Costa was ruled out with an injury.

“I’m very happy to be back,” he stated on Wednesday. “I did not expect it and I was caught by surprise.

“Now it is very difficult to be here, I have to fight a lot, but the year is long and there is time to prove myself.

“It is always a joy to return to the national team. I have had a normal period of adaptation at Juventus and now I feel fully settled.

“What I thought was to try to adapt as quickly as possible knowing that this was normal, that it would be tough, but that in the end things would work out with the work I was doing.”

The 28-year-old, after initially struggling in Turin following his move from Athletic Bilbao, has scored four goals in 12 games for the Old Lady.