Diego Costa dropped by Spain as coach Vicente Del Bosque slams controversial Chelsea striker's antics against Arsenal
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
By Pete Jenson for MailOnline
Published: 11:58 GMT, 2 October 2015 | Updated: 15:46 GMT, 2 October 2015
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.
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.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.
FULL SPAIN SQUAD Goalkeepers: Iker Casillas (Porto), David De Gea (Manchester United), Sergio Rico (Sevilla).
Defenders: Dani Carvajal (Real Madrid), Gerard Pique (Barcelona), Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid), Jordi Alba (Barcelona), Juanfran (Atletico Madrid), Marc Bartra (Barcelona), Iñigo Martínez (Athletic), Cesar Azpilicueta (Chelsea).
Midfielders: Sergio Busquets (Barcelona), Bruno (Villarreal), Cesc Fabregas (Chelsea), Isco (Real Madrid), Santi Cazorla (Arsenal), Thiago (Bayern Munich), Juan Mata (Manchester United).
Forwards: Nolito (Celta Vigo), Pedro (Chelsea), Alvaro Morata (Juventus), David Silva (Manchester City) and Paco Alcacer (Valencia).
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-3257528/Diego-Costa-dropped-Spain-coach-Vicente-Del-Bosque-slams-controversial-Chelsea-striker-s-antics-against-Arsenal.html
