By David Anderson, PA Sport, Gwangju

Click here to place your World Cup bets!
Click here for Spain team section
Click here for teams index
Click here for latest World Cup headlines
Click here for World Cup photo gallery
Click here for World Cup Bettingzone

Raul appears to be losing his battle to be fit enough to start Spain's World Cup quarter-final against South Korea on Saturday.

Although the Real Madrid striker trained today for the first time since injuring his groin in the second-round win over the Republic of Ireland on Sunday, he did not join in with his team-mates.

Instead he did some jogging, stretching and some light ball work on his own with his upper right leg heavily strapped.

Spanish team doctor Genaro Borras, who supervised Raul's work-out, refused to rule him out completely and claimed he could make the bench.

Yesterday coach Jose Antonio Camacho, who has already lost midfielder David Albelda with a twisted testicle, had said Raul needed to be 100 per cent fit to play, but Borras suggested he has recovered sufficiently to play some part if needed.

"We still don't know for definite," said Borras. "He's not going to be 100 fit, but then he could hardly be 100after missing training all week.

"He does not need to be 100 per cent he is only going to play 20 or 25 minutes from the bench.

"One positive thing is he didn't feel any pain today, so I wouldn't rule him out.

"Whether he plays or is on the bench, though, will be up to the coach."

Raul's strike partner Fernando Morientes was more downbeat about his chances of facing the Koreans in the Gwangju World Cup stadium.

"Knowing Raul, if he's not 100 per cent fit he won't play," he said.

"He didn't take part in the full training session today so it's hard to see him playing tomorrow, but you never know."

If Raul does not start, Morientes is likely to be partnered up front by the pacy Juan Carlos Valeron.

Valeron's Deportivo La Coruna team-mate Diego Tristan is expected to start on the bench, although briefly during today's training session it was feared he might not feature at all when he hurt his ankle.

It was the recurrence of an old injury, but after a quick examination Borras was confident it was "nothing serious" and that he would be available for tomorrow.