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  Euro 2016: Spain’s Diego Costa and Juan Mata not squad

Euro 2016: Spain’s Diego Costa and Juan Mata not squad

AFP
Published : May 18, 2016, 5:35 am IST
Updated : May 18, 2016, 5:35 am IST

Chelsea striker Diego Costa was left out of Spain coach Vicente del Bosque’s provisional 25-man squad for Euro 2016 on Tuesday.

Juan Mata is one among the high-profile names left out of Spain coach Vicente del Bosque’s provisional Euro squad. 	—AFP
 Juan Mata is one among the high-profile names left out of Spain coach Vicente del Bosque’s provisional Euro squad. —AFP

Chelsea striker Diego Costa was left out of Spain coach Vicente del Bosque’s provisional 25-man squad for Euro 2016 on Tuesday.

Costa missed Chelsea’s last two games of the season due to a persistent hamstring injury and has struggled at international level with just one goal in 10 games since declaring to play for Spain in 2013.

“We didn’t want to bring too many players with a certain doubt over their physical condition,” Del Bosque said of Costa’s omission from the two-time defending champions’ squad.

Del Bosque will have cut his final squad to 23 players on May 31.

World Cup winners Fernando Torres, Juan Mata and Javi Martinez were also high-profile names left out by Del Bosque.

The absence of Costa and the in-form Torres means Del Bosque has only two central strikers to choose from in 35-year-old Aritz Aduriz and Juventus’ Alvaro Morata.

The uncapped Saul Niguez and Lucas Vazquez of Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid did make the 25, whilst Villarreal captain Bruno Soriano was surprisingly included amongst 10 midfielders.

Del Bosque also named 11 uncapped promising younger players to bulk up his squad for the friendlies against Bosnia and Hercegovina and South Korea on May 29 and June 1 respectively with Real and Atletico players set to take part in the Champions League final on May 28.

Spain provisional squad Goalkeepers: Iker Casillas, David De Gea, Sergio Rico; Defenders: Jordi Alba, Gerard Pique, Marc Bartra, Sergio Ramos, Dani Carvajal, Cesar Azpilicueta, Juanfran; Midfielders: Sergio Busquets, Andres Iniesta, David Silva, Mikel San Jose, Koke, Saul Niguez, Cesc Fabregas, Thiago Alcantara, Isco, Bruno Soriano; Forwards: Pedro Rodriguez, Alvaro Morata, Aritz Aduriz, Nolito, Lucas Vazquez

Uncapped trio make Germany’s squad Meanwhile in Berlin, uncapped midfielders Joshua Kimmich, Julian Brandt and Julian Weigl were on Tuesday included in Germany’s provisional 27-man squad.

Head coach Joachim Loew will cut his squad from 27 to 23 on May 30, the day after their friendly against Slovakia, before their opening Euro 2016 Group C game against Ukraine on June 12.

There were few surprises in Loew’s squad, announced at the French Embassy in Berlin.

Germany’s captain and midfield general Bastian Schweinsteiger, who has 114 caps, has been included as he recovers from a torn medial knee ligament.

“We’ll have to wait and see when he can train with us. He is back to full running training, but we have the task as to work out when he can train with the team,” said Loew.

Germany squad Goalkeepers: Manuel Neuer, Bernd Leno, Marc-Andre ter Stegen; Defenders: Jerome Boateng, Emre Can, Jonas Hector, Benedikt Hoewedes, Mats Hummels, Shkodran Mustafi, Sebas-tian Rudy, Antonio Rüdiger; Midfielders: Karim Bellarabi, Julian Brandt, Julian Draxler, Mario Goetze, Sami Khedira, Joshua Kimmich, Toni Kroos, Thomas Mueller, Mesut Ozil , Lukas Podolski, Marco Reus, Leroy Sane, Andre Schuerrle, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Julian Weigl; Striker: Mario Gomez.

Location: Spain, Madrid