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Chelsea striker Diego Costa has been omitted from Spain’s provisional squad for Euro 2016 as the holders plot to defend their trophy this summer.
Manager Vicente del Bosque has also chosen not to include fellow big names Atletico Madrid forward Fernando Torres, Manchester United midfielder Juan Mata and Arsenal star Santi Cazorla.
Cesc Fabregas, Pedro, Cesar Azpilicueta, David Silva and goalkeeper David de Gea are among the Premier League based players included in the list of 25.
Spain, who are in Group D alongside Czech Republic, Turkey and Croatia, will be bidding to retain the title they emphatically won – beating Italy 4-0 in 2012, have a series of friendlies against Bosnia, South Korea and Georgia pencilled in before their trip to France.
The snub will come as a blow to Costa, who has hit 12 goals since the arrival of Guus Hiddink and has looked something like the presence that arrived at Stamford Bridge in the summer of 2014.
Having appeared alarmingly off the pace in the early stages of the season, his form, along with the rest of the Chelsea side, culminated in the sacking of Jose Mourinho and the worst title defence of any champions in top-flight history.
With his national allegiance the topic of much discussion ahead of the last tournament following the switch from his native Brazil, Costa has found goals at international level harder to come by, scoring only once in a qualifying match against Luxembourg.
Despite his resurgence with boyhood side Atletico Madrid, Torres, who has struck seven goals in his last 10 games and hit the winner in the Euro 2008 final and also won the golden boot four years ago, misses out.
The striking berths are occupied by Real Madrid forward Lucas Vazquez, Atletico play-maker and team-mate Saul, Alvaro Morata, Aritz Aduriz and Noltio, for the nation who famously opted not to include a recognised centre-forward on route to victory in Poland and Ukraine.
Mata, who has appeared in every one of United’s games during a difficult season, bagging five goals and making six others, fails to make the cut due to the huge reserve of attacking talent at Del Bosque’s disposal, such as Andres Iniesta and Isco.
Returning to the Arsenal fold for the final game of the campaign came too late for Cazorla – who despite featuring prominently throughout qualification for his country, is another to be dropped.
Exclusion from the preliminary side, does not necessarily mean those not chosen won’t participate, with Del Bosque given until 31st May to formally announce his travelling party.
