European champions Spain trained without star striker Fernando Torres in their first group training session on Monday as they prepare for the 2010 FIFA World Cup™ finals, which run from June 11 to July 11 in South Africa.

Torres, who scored the winning goal when Spain won UEFA EURO 2008 against Germany, trained on his own as he continues his recovery from undergoing a second operation in three months to repair damage in his right knee on 18 April.

All his fellow squad members including Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas - who has fully recovered from the broken tibia he sustained at the end of March - trained for over an hour. Oscar Luis Celada, one of the squad's medical team, said he was optimistic that Torres would be fit for the opening Group H match against Switzerland on 16 June in Durban.

The Spanish will train at Las Rozas till Friday when they depart for Austria. Aside from the Swiss Spain will also face Honduras and Chile in the finals.