Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez is set to face another summer without some of his top players with Spain and Brazil set to take part in the Confederations Cup in June. The Spanish national side has confirmed that Fernando Torres, Xabi Alonso, Alvaro Arbeloa, Albert Riera and Pepe Reina will all join up with Vicente del Bosque ahead of the South Africa based tournament. Arsenal’s Cesc Fabregas makes up the six English based contingent in the Spain set-up. It is also expected that Lucas Leiva and Fabio Aurelio will be named in Dunga’s Brazil side ahead of the showpiece tournament.

Egypt, New Zealand, Iraq, South Africa, Italy and the USA will also take part in the tournament which is scheduled for June. Arranged every four years, the Confederations Cup is organised by FIFA and features the winners of each of the six FIFA confederation championships (CAF, CONMEBOL, UEFA, AFC, OFC, CONCACAF), along with the FIFA World Cup winner and the host country, to bring the number of teams up to eight.