The RFEF had made arrangements for the whole squad to gather there, rather than at the Las Rozas complex near Madrid where Spain’s football teams usually train. They were heading for a hastily-arranged flight to Valencia.

Misa Rodriguez walks out of the team’s Madrid hotel on Tuesday (Oscar J Barroso/AFP7 via Getty Images) This is how the latest day of drama surrounding the new world champions began - with boycotting players who did not want to represent their country arriving stony-faced after being called up for national team duty. “Have you spoken to Montse (Tome, the new manager after the sacking of World Cup winner Jorge Vilda two weeks ago)?” Walking up the steps, past a tightly-packed group of journalists and photographers, the Real Madrid goalkeeper was asked many questions but only answered two of them. It was around 11am local time when Misa Rodriguez arrived at the hotel where Spain’s Madrid-based players were asked to meet on Tuesday. Mentally, you’re not in a place to be able to be there.”įrancos also said Leon and Guijarro would not face any punishment over their decision not to travel with the rest of the squad to Sweden.īut the possibility of players being sanctioned with fines, or even having their licences to play football in Spain revoked, was a dominant factor in the uncertainty that prevailed all through the day on Tuesday, as the latest chapter in this remarkable and complex story began to unfold. But it’s true that it’s pretty difficult personally, to be here after how everything’s happened.

Yesterday we achieved, or they said, they would have a mixed sporting commission. It’s true that some have been made but they’re working. Guijarro, a midfielder for the same club, added: “They’re working on those changes. Little by little, changes are being made, and in this we totally support our team-mates.” “We’re happy because it’s true that changes are being made. So we’re not in the conditions to say, ‘No, you come back.’ “We already know this hasn’t been the way to return.

“The situation for Patri and for me is different,” Barcelona defender Leon said. Later this morning, Leon and Guijarro spoke to reporters outside the team hotel. These same sources said the players were worried they would face sanctions if they did not report for Spain duty. A majority of them had reaffirmed their commitment to the common position they have taken since late August - that they would not play again until major changes were made at the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF).Īfter they were called up, sources close to several players, who asked to speak anonymously to protect their positions, told The Athletic they had not been informed in advance they were going to be selected. The 23 were called up on Monday in a press conference originally scheduled for last Friday. Mapi Leon and Patri Guijarro are the players who will leave camp. In a statement issued after six hours of talks, shared with media at around 5am local time today, Francos said “two players requested the possibility of leaving for reasons of lack of morale and personal discomfort”, with the remaining 21 now set to travel for Friday’s Nations League match against Sweden in Gothenburg. Victor Francos, president of the Consjejo Superior de Deportes (CSD - a governmental body with authority in sporting matters), travelled to meet the squad at the end of another dramatic day in a long-running dispute.

Boycott advance 0.2.8