Marcos Senna returns for Spain's World Cup qualifying match against Belgium, when the European champions can move closer to 2010 qualification with victory.
Spain is perfect in Group 5 with six wins from six and can likely clinch its passage to South Africa with victories against Belgium on Saturday and Estonia on Wednesday regardless of other results.
Defensive midfielder Senna, a key component of Spain's Euro 2008-winning run last summer, missed out on the Confederations Cup but has recovered from a hamstring injury and is expected to start the match at Deportivo La Coruna's El Riazor stadium."He's an important teammate and a player who brings us the balance that (coach Vicente) Del Bosque wants. He's a key player for us," defender Joan Capdevila said of his 31-year-old Villarreal teammate. "He's recovered from injury and is gradually reaching his peak."
Senna's return is likely to relegate midfielder Xabi Alonso to the bench as the naturalized Brazilian is paired in the middle with Barcelona's Xavi Hernandez.
Spain leads with 18 points, Armenia has 12, Turkey has eight and Belgium has seven with four matches to play. Estonia has five and last-placed Armenia has one.
Belgium needs a win to have any chance of reaching the World Cup after missing out in 2006 at Germany.
"Even if we know it's going to be really difficult, we still have a mathematical possibility of qualifying so we should keep belief," defender Timmy Simons told Le Soir newspaper.
Assistant coach Frankie Vercauteren, who has replaced the fired Rene Vandereycken until Dick Advocaat takes over at the end of the year, will be without goalkeeper Silvio Proto who remained in Belgium to be with his wife, who is due to give birth.
AZ Alkmaar midfielder Moussa Dembele is available as Belgium, which plays Armenia on Wednesday, plays an opponent it fell 2-1 to on home soil last year.
