Belgium leave out Nainggolan, Iran omit striker Rezaei

Madrid, May 21: Chelsea striker Alvaro Morata was left out of Spain’s World Cup squad, announced on Monday.

Morata paid the price for a disappointing debut season in the Premier League as Spain coach Julen Lopetegui picked Iago Aspas and Rodrigo Moreno up front, along with Atletico Madrid’s Diego Costa.

“The decision is always difficult because of the talent of the players we have,” Lopetegui said.

“We have opted for three other players who had different assets and including four players up front was not something we wanted to do.”

Two more Chelsea players also missed out as Marcos Alonso and Cesc Fabregas were not included in the 23- man group.

Morata’s absence was the stand- out decision, however, even if it was not an entirely surprising one given the 25year- old’s dramatic dip in form.

After scoring seven goals in his first seven games for Chelsea, a back injury seemed to affect his confidence. Morata has scored only three times in 22 games since the turn of the year. “I’ve talked to the players I had to talk to,” Lopetegui said. “I’m not going to name anybody, but there are players who had to find out from me that they were not going to be on the list.”

In contrast, Aspas and Moreno have been in excellent form for Celta Vigo and Valencia respectively, with Aspas the top Spain squad: Goalkeepers: David de Gea, Pepe Reina, Kepa Arrizabalaga. Defenders: Jordi Alba, Nacho Monreal, Alvaro Odriozola, Nacho Fernandez, Dani Carvajal, Gerard Pique, Sergio Ramos, Cesar Azpilicueta. Midfielders: Sergio Busquets, Isco, Thiago Alcantara, David Silva, Andres Iniesta, Saul Niguez, Koke. Forwards: Marco Asensio, Iago Aspas, Diego Costa, Rodrigo Moreno, Lucas Vazquez. Spanish scorer in La Liga on 22 goals.

Costa is expected to start when Spain open up against Portugal in Group B on June 15 but Aspas, with his speed and direct running, remains an attractive option.

Alonso only made his debut in a friendly against Argentina in March and lost out to Arsenal’s Nacho Monreal.

Fabregas fell behind Spain’s impressive wealth of options in midfield, which will include Sergio Busquets, Saul Niguez, Koke, Thiago Alcantara, Andres Iniesta, David Silva, Isco, Marco Asensio and Lucas Vazquez.

Manchester United’s David de Gea was included as expected, along with fellow goalkeepers Pepe Reina and Kepa Arrizabalaga. Croatia squad: Goalkeepers: Danijel Subasic, Lovre Kalinic, Dominik Livakovic. Defenders: Vedran Corluka, Domagoj Vida, Ivan Strinic, Dejan Lovren, Sime Vrsaljko, Josip Pivaric, Tin Jedvaj, Matej Mitrovic, Duje CaletaCar. Midfielders: Luka Modric, Ivan Rakitic, Mateo Kovacic, Milan Badelj, Marcelo Brozovic, Filip Bradaric. Forwards: Mario Mandzukic, Ivan Perisic, Nikola Kalinic, Andrej Kramaric, Marko Pjaca, Ante Rebic.

MODRIC SPEARHEADS

CROATIA SQUAD Croatia coach Zlatko Dalic named on Monday a 24- man squad, which will be eventually reduced by one player, and is led by international stars Luka Modric, Ivan Rakitic and Mario Mandzukic.

Croatia are appearing at the World Cup for the fifth time and have been drawn alongside two time former champions Argentina, Nigeria and Iceland in a tricky Group D.

“I didn’t have many dilemmas... I firmly believe in these players,” Dalic told reporters.

“One of the stoppers will be removed from the list.”

Croatia face Brazil in a pretournament friendly on June 3 at Anfield and take on Senegal five days later in Osijek before flying out to Russia. — AFP Brussels, May 21: Belgium have left midfield creator Radja Nainggolan out of their World Cup squad, coach Roberto Martinez said on Monday.

The absence of Nainggolan, who scored twice for Roma in the second league of the Champions League semifinal against Liverpool this month, was the biggest surprise in the 28player list that will be reduced to 23 before the tournament.

Belgium face England, Panama and Tunisia in Group G at the World Cup.

The heavily tattooed 30year- old has played 30 times for his country and is popular with supporters, but his relationship with Martinez has often been strained. Belgium squad: Goalkeepers: Koen Casteels, Thibaut Courtois, Simon Mignolet, Matz Sels. Defenders: Toby Alderweireld, Dedryck Boyata, Laurent Ciman, Leander Dendoncker, Christian Kabasele, Vincent Kompany, Jordan Lukaku, Thomas Vermaelen, Jan Vertonghen. Midfielders: Yannick Carrasco, Nacer Chadli, Kevin De Bruyne, Mousa Dembele, Marouane Fellaini, Adnan Januzaj, Thomas Meunier, Youri Tielemans, Axel Witsel. Forwards: Michy Batshuayi, Christian Benteke, Eden Hazard, Thorgan Hazard, Romelu Lukaku, Dries Mertens. Iran squad: Goalkeepers: Alireza Beiranvand, Rashid Mazaheri, Amir Abedzadeh. Defenders: Ali Gholizadeh, Majid Hosseini, Milad Mohammadi, Mohammad Khanzadeh, Morteza Pouraliganji, Pejman Montazeri, Ramin Rezaeian, Roozbeh Cheshmi. Midfielders: Ehsan Haji Safi, Karim Ansarifard, Masoud Shojaei, Mahdi Torabi, Omid Ebrahimi, Saeid Ezatolahi. Forwards: Alireza Jahanbakhsh, Ashkan Dejageh, Mahdi Taremi, Reza Ghoochannejhad, Saman Ghoddos, Sardar Azmoun, Vahid Amiri.

The Spanish former Everton manager said: “It was a sad and difficult decision. He is a player with a lot of class and he was voted Roma’s best player, but I’ve made my decision for purely tactical reasons.

“I have put in place a specific system that works. I can’t use Radja in a secondary role.”

Martinez said he travelled to Rome explain his choice to player.

In Nainggolan’s place, Martinez has picked 21year- old Youri Tielemans, who has had a low- key season at French club Monaco.

In Tehran, Iran announced their 24- man squad, surprisingly omitting striker Kaveh Rezaei, had to the but with plenty of expectation after an unbeaten run through qualifying.

The biggest shock was the decision not to take Rezaei, the 26- year- old coming off blistering season for Belgium’s Charleroi, scoring 16 goals in 39 games.

But Iran have strong choices up front, including Alireza Jahanbakhsh, who became the first Iranian to top the scoring table of a major European league with 21 goals for Dutch side AZ Alkmaar.

Also making the squad are Masoud Shojaei, 33, and Ehsan Haji Safi, 28, who were supposed to have been banned for life last summer after playing an Israeli team for their Greek club Panionios.

— AFP a