England coach Fabio Capello wants Chelsea skipper John Terry to lead his nation against Sweden on Saturday.

Capello said Terry would be rested for Spain, insisting the decision was based purely on football reasons despite holding talks on Friday with the defender as well as FA chairman David Bernstein, managing director of Club England Adrian Bevington, general secretary Alex Horne and director of football development Sir Trevor Brooking.

That said, the Daily Mail reports the decision on Terry was ultimately left to Capello.

"Terry will not play against Spain because I want to check some players against the best team in the world," said the manager. "But it is really, really important that he stays with us."

Capello feels he can justify Terry's selection by pointing to the fact that he picked Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard after he had been charged with assault and affray following a restaurant brawl in December 2008.

Gerrard's ABH charge was dropped before trial and he was cleared by a jury of affray the following July. In that period Gerrard made three appearances for his country.