Torres Pulls Out Of Spain Squad

Liverpool striker Fernando Torres has pulled out of Spain's squad for the Euro 2012 qualifiers against Lithuania and Scotland. The decision follows the 26-year- old's withdrawal with a groin strain just 10 minutes into Liverpool's 2-1 defeat to Blackpool on Sunday. The extent of the injury has yet to be confirmed by Liverpool. "We had no awareness there were any problems in the groin area," said Reds manager Roy Hodgson. "It happened early in the game, which came as a surprise to us. "I don't know if it happened during the course of the game when he stretched for the ball. I don't really know." Barcelona forward Pedro and the Sevilla winger Jesus Navas have also dropped out of the Spain squad for the Group I games, leading coach Vicente del Bosque to call up four replacements. In-form Primera Division pacesetters Valencia have provided two of the newcomers, striker Aritz Aduriz and winger Pablo Hernandez, with the other two coming from second-placed Villarreal - playmaker Borja Valero and his fellow midfielder, Bruno Soriano. Spain, the reigning world and European champions, play Lithuania in Salamanca on Friday before travelling to Glasgow to take on the Scots four days later.