MADRID (AFP) - Russia captain Shamil Tarpischev insisted on Friday that his defending Fed Cup champions will not start as favourites in this weekend's final against Spain. Russia, bidding for a fourth title in the annual women's team event, go into the tie stripped of the injured Maria Sharapova as well as Olympic gold and silver medal winners Elena Dementieva and Dinara Safina who are unavailable. "We don't count ourselves as favourites," said Tarpischev. "We will do our best but tennis is not a game you can predict, especially when you are away from home. Anything can happen in team competitions." Anabel Medina Garrigues, who partnered Virginia Ruano Pascual to a women doubles silver medal at the Olympics, will open up on Saturday against Vera Zvonareva, the singles bronze medallist in Beijing. Russia's number one player this weekend, Svetlana Kuznetsova, will take to the clay courts in the second rubber where she will face Carla Suarez Navarro, who came through qualifying to reach the quarter-finals of the French Open this year.  "I know the mentality a little bit and I speak the language. Madrid is different from Barcelona but it still feels like an away tie," said Kuznetsova, who has been training in Barcelona since she was a junior. Spain, who beat China in the semi-finals, are appearing in their 11th Fed Cup final, having won the title five times. However, their last win was 10 years ago. Draw for the Fed Cup final between Spain and Russia here on Saturday and Sunday: Saturday (1200 GMT start): Anabel Medina Garrigues(ESP) v Vera Zvonareva (RUS) Carla Suarez-Navarro (ESP) v Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS) Sunday (1000 GMT start): Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS) v Anabel Medina Garrigues(ESP). Vera Zvonareva (RUS) v Carla Suarez-Navarro (ESP) Nuria Llagostera/Virginia Ruano-Pascual (ESP) v Elena Vesnina/Ekaterina Makarova (RUS)