Spain international Cesc Fabregas has explained reasons why he would not be attending the England-Spain international friendly game on Tuesday.
The out-of-favour player at club and national level opted to miss the game despite receiving invitation to attend as a guest of the Spanish Football Federation to support the team to victory.
According to news source Sport, the player cited ‘personal reasons’ as his excuse for the snub. The player has started the new campaign on a poor note, dropping from the first team at Stamford Bridge. Fabregas has started just one game this term – the 3-0 loss against Arsenal, his former club.
At the international level, Spain’s new coach Julen Lopetegui also labelled Fabregas surplus to requirements despite the injury crisis that hit the squad. England based Spaniards Santi Cazorla, Pedro and Adrian received the official invitation by the Spanish apex body to attend the friendly game.
At the game against Macedonia on Saturday, Lopetegui played Aritz Aduriz. Aduriz became Spain’s oldest ever goalscorer at 35 years 275 days. The player has been scoring since returning to his club Athletic Bilbao four years ago. He seems like a late bloomer.
In the last two terms, he has won the Zara Trophy for being the top Spanish goalscorer in the La Liga. He is not a fast player, but he seems to be blooming – at almost 36 years of age – when other top Spanish strikers are at the twilight of their careers. The game provided him with another testament, and he is expected to feature against England.
For someone that went on a six-year hiatus after making his international debut at the age of 29 under Vicente del Bosque, he seems keen on making his mark before retirement when he finally does. Lopetegui praised the player after his feat, calling the striker a “fantastic professional.”