Spain coach Vicente del Bosque picked 18 of his 23 World Cup champions for next week's exhibition at Mexico, dropping Andres Iniesta and Fernando Torres.
Del Bosque will bring 21 players to Mexico for Wednesday's game, Spain's first as World Cup champion. Del Bosque included seven players from Barcelona, a group that hasn't returned to training since the World Cup final on July 11 and is not with the club on its Asian tour. That prompted an angry response from the Catalan club.
Iniesta, Torres, goalkeeper Pepe Reina and defender Raul Albiol were omitted because of injury concerns, while midfielder Javi Martinez is playing with Spain's Under-21 team.
Torres is recovering from a thigh injury sustained in the closing moments of the 1-0 final win over the Netherlands. Iniesta, who scored the winning goal, was left off for precautionary reasons after arriving in South Africa with a thigh muscle worry.
''It's a special case,'' Del Bosque said. ''We preferred he joined his club without problem.''
Santi Cazorla, part of Spain's European Championship-winning team two years ago, was called in along with Osasuna defender Ignacio Monreal and Villarreal midfielder Bruno Soriano. Bruno was the only first-time callup.
Del Bosque brushed off concerns over the health of Barcelona's players, who return from Mexico to play Sevilla in the first leg of the Spanish Supercup match on Aug. 14.
Forwards David Villa and Pedro Rodriguez, midfielders Xavi Hernandez and Sergio Busquets, defenders Gerard Pique and Carles Puyol and goalkeeper Victor Valdes all will be at Azteca Stadium despite not having trained since the World Cup.
''We're considerate enough to the demands of all the clubs, but that's not motive enough,'' Del Bosque said. ''We want to maintain a consistent list following the World Cup. They'll be there on the 12th, all in good physical shape. I think they will be able to do it all.''
Barcelona sporting director Andoni Zubizarreta called the decision to call up his players an ''extraordinarily negative'' one.
''It'll be the first time in history that players still on holiday will have been called up,'' Zubizarreta said. ''Logic would say they are not in a situation to make such a great effort and such a long trip.''
Albiol's absence left Real Madrid with four players in the team: captain Iker Casillas, defenders Sergio Ramos and Alvaro Arbeloa, and midfielder Xabi Alonso. They already are in California with Real Madrid for Saturday's exhibition against the Los Angeles Galaxy at the Rose Bowl.
Del Bosque also thought Spain's $9,650 fine for five yellow cards incurred in the final was exaggerated. The Dutch federation has to pay $14,480 after eight of its players received bookings in the physical game.
''We tried to play as cleanly as possible as we did throughout the World Cup,'' Del Bosque said from the team's Las Rozas headquarters.
Most of Spain's players travel to Mexico on Monday. La Furia Roja have two losses in their last 55 games, to the United States in the 2009 Confederations Cup and to Switzerland in their World Cup opener this year.
Spain begins its Euro 2008 defense at Liechtenstein on Sept. 3, then has an exhibition four days later at Argentina.
The roster:
Goalkeepers: Iker Casillas (Real Madrid), Victor Valdes (Barcelona)
Defenders: Alvaro Arbeloa (Real Madrid), Joan Capdevila (Villarreal), Carlos Marchena (Villarreal), Ignacio Monreal (Osasuna), Gerard Pique (Barcelona), Carles Puyol (Barcelona), Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid)
Midfielders: Xabi Alonso (Real Madrid), Sergio Busquets (Barcelona), Santi Cazorla (Villarreal), Cesc Fabregas (Arsenal, England), Xavi Hernandez (Barcelona), Bruno Soriano (Villarreal)
Forwards: David Silva (Manchester City, England), Juanma Mata (Valencia), Jesus Navas (Sevilla), Fernando Llorente (Athletic Bilbao), Pedro Rodriguez (Barcelona), David Villa (Barcelona)
