Will false nine fool France again?

Spain faces France at the Vicente Calderón tonight (TVE-1, 8.45pm), with first place in Group I of European World Cup qualification very possibly at stake. Although it was drawn in the only group of five teams, meaning fewer games, there was a collective groan when the specter of Les Bleusonce again appeared on the horizon of a major tournament adventure.

The overall split between the two sides' 31 previous matches favors La Roja, but it has won just once in seven competitive matches against the side coached by Didier Deschamps: in the quarterfinals of the 2012 European Championships. The first-placed team goes straight through to the finals in Brazil in 2014, the runner-up into a two-legged playoff.

In its sole meaningful win against France, Vicente del Bosque set up his side without a recognized striker, the so-called false nine formation. It completely bewitched the French defense, which could not contain the Spain forward line and found itself swamped in midfield. There is every likelihood that Del Bosque will opt for the same line-up in the Calderón, with Barcelona midfielder Cesc Fàbregas reprising the role he occupied in Poland and Ukraine.

"The whole thing about playing as a false nine is relative because the boss puts me in that position and I try to play as one — we showed that in the final of the Euros," Fàbregas told a press conference on Monday. "Sometimes I try to play higher up to stretch the defense but when we play against a team with three center backs it's harder to be up front alone so I drop back to help David \[Silva\] and Pedro to lose their markers. I try to play the position with the mentality of a midfielder to create more options and achieve numerical superiority. It depends on personal opinion, but there are people who don't appreciate \[the false nine\] and others who do."

Spain and France are tied at the top of the group with two wins from two and there is little doubt that the head-to-head result between the sides will settle automatic qualification. "It becomes a cup match," noted Del Bosque.

Other than how to attack France, the Spain coach has to try to contain the likes of Franck Ribéry and Karim Benzema, who will try to pull the home back four around on the flanks and through the middle, with Olivier Giroud likely to spearhead the attack. Against Belarus — a 3-1 win for Deschamps' side — the France coach played the three together in the front line with Benzema on the right. He also deployed Étienne Capoue out of position in place of injured Arsenal midfielder Abou Diaby, displaying a willingness to experiment similar to that of Del Bosque.

That may well see Sergio Busquets in the center of defense again as he was against Belarus. Of particular concern to Spain is the fitness of Sergio Ramos, who did not train on Sunday after sustaining a muscle strain in Spain's 4-0 win in Minsk last Friday. "He told me he is better and that he will return to training today \[Monday\]," Del Bosque said. "We are not going to risk anybody."

A footnote to the game is the return of Fernando Torres to the Vicente Calderón, where he has not taken the field since the final day of the 2006-07 season when Atlético played Celta Vigo. When Liverpool came to the capital to play his old club in the Champions League and the Europa League Torres was injured, and he did not feature in the friendly against Argentina at the Calderón in 2009, when coincidentally Xabi Alonso scored both of his country's goals, one from the spot, as he did in Donetsk against France. However, with the false nine system en vogue, Torres may have to content himself with a substitute appearance at best.

"We are lucky to have many players who can adapt," said Pedro, who bagged a hat-trick against Belarus, keeping teammate David Villa on the bench. "We are very clear about our philosophy and ideas; anyone can step in and do well and it doesn't affect our way of playing."