Spain manager threatens Costa

CAIRO - 20 September 2017: Spain’s national team manager Julen Lopetegui has cast his doubt on Diego Costa’s participation in the 2018 World Cup if his feud with Chelsea continues, Lopetegui told METRO on Wednesday.

“He needs to train and play in order to be considered, it’s rather complicated that a guy who doesn’t train and doesn’t play can be with us, but that’s all it is,” Lopetegui said.

Diego Costa refused to play any game with his club Chelsea this season after receiving a text message from is coach Antonio Conte in June informing him to start looking for another club.

Lopetegui commented on Costa’s current situation, saying “Costa’s summer has been unusual, strange, and complicated not just for him but for his club. He is still a Chelsea player. It’s a complicated issue.”

Costa wanted to rejoin his former club, Atletico Madrid but FIFA banned the club from the 2017 summer transfers so Costa hopes to join them in January to start training again and to be able to rejoin the Spanish national team again.