体坛英语新闻：Spain midfielder Cazorla defends Casillas over recent form

MADRID, Oct. 10 (Xinhua) -- Spain midfielder, Santi Cazorla strongly defended the form of goalkeeper Iker Casillas on Wednesday as the Spanish national side prepared to fly to Minsk ahead of Friday's World Cup qualifying match against Belarus.

Casillas has come in for criticism after making some errors in the opening matches of the season, where he has looked less assured than on other occasions. Some have even suggested he should have saved Leo Messi's free kick which put FC Barcelona 2-1 ahead in the 2-2 draw in the Clasico in the Camp Nou on Sunday night, noting that his arm was not fully extended as the ball flew into the net.

However, Cazorla, one of the brightest and cheeriest characters in the Spain squad, put up a solid defense of Casillas and David Villa, who is on his way back to full fitness.

"There is no sense in doubting players such as Iker and Villa. They have given a lot to their teams and there is no sense at all in questioning them," he said, before focusing on the Messi goal

"Messi's goal is difficult to stop and at the end of the day the foul was really well taken by Leo and it is complicated for Casillas. It is a question more for Casillas than for me," he said.

The Arsenal player added that he saw no sense in looking at the words of Madrid defender, Pepe, who accused some Barcelona players of diving during the Clasico. With so many Barca and Madrid players in the Spain squad, Pepe's words could be a bone of contention, but Cazorla madde light of them

"People always look for controversy and fortunately there is none here. The last Clasico was a clean game and I don't think anything strange happened at all," he said, before discussing his change of scene from Spain (Malaga) to the English Premier League.

"People have spoken about me more in the short time I have been in England than in all the time I played in Spain. The main thing is to be happy. I feel I am an important player for Arsenal and I feel comfortable there. It has been a step forward in my career and i hope to continue impriving as a player," said Cazorla.