While Ireland prepare for a crucial match in Georgia, Group G of UEFA's World Cup qualifying section pits two of world football's heavyweights together.
Spain and Italy comfortable lead that table on 16 points apiece, with their only failure to gain three points coming when the two sides drew earlier in the qualifiers.
But their second clash of the group takes place on Saturday in Madrid's Santiago Bernabeu stadium with the winner all but certain of topping the group and qualifying automatically for the 2018 World Cup while the loser heads towards the playoffs.
While both sides would be confident of qualifying via a playoff, topping the group would allay any potentially tricky ties in November.
Spain named an interesting squad when a familiar face from their World Cup and Euros-winning golden era returning. David Villa, Spain's record goalscorer and the perfect striker for the old tiki taka system, was deemed to have left the elite level behind when he signed for New York City FC and also appeared to retire from international duty three years ago but eyebrows were raised when the former Barcelona and Valencia forward was recalled by head coach Julen Lopetegui.
Spain's David Villa celebrates with the World Cup trophy after winning against Netherlands. Marcus Brandt/DPA/PA Images
Graham Hunter joined us on Off The Ball to make sense of that decision to recall Villa to the Spain squad where Alvaro Morata is the main forward and Diego Costa's current footballing absence opening a space in the pecking order.
"I think it's the right decision and I'm pleased," said Graham of Villa's call up.
"Villa never said once that he didn't want to continue [with Spain after the 2014 World Cup] but moved to MLS which meant people began to think 'well, it's a retirement home'.
"What we've learned and what Julen Lopetegui's taken a bet on is simply the fact that Villa has been scoring a rampant number of goals over in America. The bet he's taking is that the evidence is you need to be in peak physical condition to dominate in America. You ask Thierry Henry or Steven Gerrard or Robbie Keane, who probably had a more successful time over there than Steven or Thierry did, the fact that there are many, many players across the franchises whose abilities to perform at that level is based on their youth and athleticism rather than how classy a footballer they are. It's a fledgling project, I'm not being derogatory. It's natural. So therefore to escape as a striker and to get space, beat your defender or a posse of defenders, it isn't simply going to be about ability or history. You have to be extraordinarily fit. And the other thing is to be able to play in that league, you're constantly on a plane for thousands of miles."
Graham added that Villa is the best player in the MLS at present and that "he's shown that it's all still there."
"Rather than being a surprise that he's in now," said Graham of the Spain recall, before continuing, "I think it's retrospectively a bit surprising that they hadn't taken the chance sooner."
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