Spain pain for Alvaro and Blues
CHELSEA striker Alvaro Morata has been left out of Spain’s squad for the World Cup after a disappointing first season at Stamford Bridge.
The 25-year-old, above, managed only 11 league goals for the Blues in the recently concluded season and only appeared as a last-minute substitute in Saturday’s FA Cup final victory over Manchester United.
United goalkeeper David De Gea, Chelsea defender Cesar Azpilicueta, Arsenal’s Nacho Monreal and David Silva of Manchester City are the Premier League players who have made head coach Julen Lopetegui’s 23-man squad.
Morata is joined by his Chelsea team-mates Cesc Fabregas and Marcos Alonso in missing out on a ticket to Russia.
Shortly after the list was revealed yesterday, Morata tweeted: “Good luck at the World Cup! I will be supporting you and encouraging you right to the end, as always!”
Arsenal full-back Hector Bellerin, Atletico Madrid forward Vitolo and Bayern Munich midfielder Javi Martinez are also surprise omissions.
El Clasico stars Sergio Ramos, Gerard Pique, Isco, Sergio Busquets, Andres Iniesta, Lucas Vazquez, Jordi Alba, Nacho and Dani Carvajal will fly the flag for Barcelona and Real Madrid.
The scorer of the winning goal for Spain in the 2010 World Cup final, Iniesta, on Sunday played his last game for Barca after a 16-year spell at the Nou Camp.
Former Chelsea striker Diego Costa, now back at Atletico, has made the cut after scoring seven goals since returning to La Liga in January. TODAY, only VAR can overturn a referee’s decision but in 1982 a prince managed to get a goal chalked off.
Kuwait were losing 3-1 to France when Alain Giresse scored a fourth with the Kuwaiti defence nowhere to be seen. They claimed they had stopped because of a whistle they heard, which came from the stands and not referee Miroslav Stupar.
The Soviet official refused to budge following protests. Until Prince Fahad, the Kuwaiti FA president, stormed onto the pitch. Incredibly Stupar then ruled out the goal, with Kuwait going on to lose 4-1.
“I told the players to stay on the field,” said Prince Fahad, who dismissed suggestions he had attempted to take them off.
Stupar was banned from refereeing while Prince Fahad was fined £8,000.
It remains Kuwait’s only appearance in a World Cup finals – but at least it will be remembered.