Spain drop Diego Costa for games against Luxembourg and Ukraine
- Coach Vicente Del Bosque slammed Chelsea striker's recent behaviour in controversial defeat of Arsenal
- Former world champions need just a point to qualify for Euro 2016
- Blues' Cesar Azpilicueta, Pedro and Cesc Fabregas did make the squad
Diego Costa
has been dropped by disapproving Spain coach Vicente Del Bosque, who
admitted on Friday that he did not like the way the Chelsea striker had
behaved in the recent meeting with Arsenal.
Costa
has scored just once in his first nine games for Spain and Del Bosque
has been under pressure to leave out the forward he persuaded to swap
allegiance from Brazil to Spain before the 2014 World Cup.
The
26-year-old striker is suspended for Spain’s first game against
Luxembourg next Friday after picking up a booking in Spain’s 1-0 win
over Macedonia last month but he would have been available for the
second match against Ukraine.
Diego Costa has been dropped by Spain for Euro 2016 qualifiers against Luxembourg and Ukraine
Spain head coach Vicente Del Bosque was not impressed by striker's recent behaviour against Arsenal
Costa, who has made a struggling start to the season, has only scored one goal in nine games for Spain
The
Spain manager was asked if the three-game ban dealt Costa by the FA for
his conduct against Arsenal two weeks ago influenced his decision. He
said: ‘No. But of course I did not like what he did. It was not nice.’
Juventus’
in-form Spanish forward Alvaro Morata steps in as Costa’s replacement.
There are three other Chelsea players in the squad, Cesar Azpilicueta,
Pedro and Cesc Fabregas. Arsenal’s Santi Cazorla, Manchester United pair
David de Gea and Juan Mata, and Manchester City’s David Silva are also
in the 23.
Costa received s retrospective ban after ugly clashes with Laurent Koscienly and Paulinho (left)
Paulinho was sent off during the 2-0 defeat after reacting to Costa's unsportsmanlike behaviour
Cesc Fabregas (centre) and Pedro (right) are two of seven Premier League players in the Spain squad
Spain
need just a point to make it to next season’s European Championship and
for Costa to be absent as the group get over the line in terms of
qualification is being seen as significant by some Spanish commentators.
‘He
hasn’t played badly; the decision is not down to form,’ insisted Del
Bosque he has the option to bring him back in November when he could
face club team-mates Gary Cahill when Spain face England in Alicante.
Real
Sociedad defender Iñigo Martinez has also been called up to the Spain
squad fulfilling the prediction David Moyes made at the weekend about
his young defender.
After
the team kept their third clean sheet in six games Moyes said he saw
Martinez as a future Spain defender and said he would not be surprised
if he was called up in the near future.
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