Ukraine captain and new Chelsea FC signing Andriy Shevchenko has doubts about his involvement in Ukraine's opening World Cup Group H match against Spain in Leipzig on Wednesday.

“I'm working with the squad and I’m feeling quite good,” the former AC Milan forward told reporters after training with the Ukraine team on Saturday.

“This period is important for me as I have to work to get in better shape. Possibly not for the first match but for the ones after.”

Shevchenko came on as a second-half substitute after 60 minutes against Luxembourg - his first game for a month after he picked up a knee injury whilst playing for his former club AC Milan.

During the match on Thursday, the 29-year-old former European Player of the Year appeared to show no signs of the injury which kept him sidelined for the teams preparations for the World Cup Finals and which forced him to miss the friendlies against Costa Rica, Italy and Libya.

But the Chelsea new-boy has still got doubts over his fitness for the crunch group-stage match against their biggest group rivals.

“It's difficult after half an hour of a friendly match to know exactly what my physical state is,” said Shevchenko.

“We still have time to assess things and decide together.”

Coach Oleg Blokhin is doubtful, and was unwilling to give anything away saying: "I can't say anything.

“I want Shevchenko to be the star of the World Cup, but we will just have to see in the next few days what his physical state is.”

Shevchenko also said that he thinks Spain’s La Furia Roja are the favourites to win Group H, which also includes Tunisia’s ‘Carthage Eagles’ and Saudi Arabia’s ‘Al Sugour’.

“Spain are a great team and have a complete squad,” said the captain.

“They are certainly favourites for this group.”

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