VIENNA, Austria (AP)

Spain doesn't think the absence of injured striker David Villa will stop them winning the nation's first tournament in 44 years when they take on Germany in the European Championship final tomorrow.

Midfielder Xabi Alonso said yesterday that Spain have such depth of talent on the bench that losing Villa - the tournament's top scorer with four goals - isn't going to hurt the team's chances.

"I don't think it will be a big problem for us," said Xabi Alonso, a second-half substitute in Spain's 3-0 semi-final win over Russia on Thursday. "Whoever is coming from the bench is doing a great job and that is as important as who is starting."

Villa, who scored the only hat-trick at Euro 2008 against Russia in Spain's 4-1 win in the group stage two weeks ago, said he would likely miss the final after pulling a hamstring muscle while taking a free kick in the first half of the semi-final at Ernst Happel Stadium.

"I'm a little sad that I won't be there to take part, but it's better that a teammate who is fit plays instead of me, particularly as my injury has left me limping quite badly," Villa said.

The Spanish football federation said yesterday that the injury was only a "minor muscle strain" but Villa was still in doubt for tomorrow's match.

Midfielder Santi Cazorla said Spain had enough talent on the bench to deal with the situation.

"We have great players in every position. Whoever plays will do a good job," Cazorla said.

Coach Luis Aragones brought on Cesc Fabregas to boost Spain's midfield when Villa came off, leaving Fernando Torres as the sole attacker. The move paid off, with Spain scoring three goals in the second half, two of them set up by Fabregas.

brilliant result

"We are delighted and pleased with the performance," Alonso said. "The result was brilliant. Hopefully on Sunday, we will repeat another performance like that. Let's hope we can play a good match and lift the cup, which would be historic."

Spain has only won one major title: the 1964 European Cham-pionship. It reached the final of the same tournament 20 years later, but lost to France.

Germany, on the other hand, has been crowned European champion three times and world champion another three. Furthermore, Spain has only beaten Germany once in seven competitive matches, with four victories for the Germans and two draws.

"They know how to win tournaments, they know how to play these games and we know we have to be careful because they are the favourites," Torres said.

The Liverpool striker isn't having a great tournament. He has only scored one goal - in the group stage against Sweden - and was replaced by Dani Guiza in the second half Thursday after missing a string of chances.

Guiza scored Spain's second goal just four minutes after coming on, but refused to speculate on whether he would take Torres' spot in the line-up.

"It would be a dream to play the final with the national team," Guiza said. "But it's the coach who makes the decisions."

Brazilian-born midfielder Marcos Senna said Spain will have to look out for Germany's counter-attacks.

"They are fast and deadly in this kind of game," Senna said in a Euro 2008 online chat. "I think both teams will try to do what they know. Spain will try to keep the possession of the ball and Germany will try to be a block, and use the counter-attacks to harm us."