E-Paper
Ramos surprised by Spain snubbing Casillas
MADRID: Stand-in Spain captain Sergio Ramos has expressed his surprise as Iker Casillas’s exclusion from Julien Lopetegui’s first squad as Spain boss.
MADRID: Stand-in Spain captain Sergio Ramos has expressed his surprise as Iker Casillas’s exclusion from Julien Lopetegui’s first squad as Spain boss.
Ramos is expected to lead the 2010 world champions in their first 2018 World Cup qualifier against Liechtenstein on September 5 after the 35-year-old Casillas was dropped in favour of David de Gea, Pepe Reina and West Ham’s Adrian.
“It surprises everyone when such an emblematic and historic player for world and Spanish football (is left out),” said Ramos as the Spanish squad met in Madrid on Monday ahead of Thursday’s friendly away to Belgium.
ANTONIO GETS SURPRISE ENGLAND CALL-UP
LONDON: West Ham United’s versatile Michail Antonio was the surprise inclusion when new England manager Sam Allardyce named his first squad on Sunday, for the World Cup qualifier away to Slovakia on September 4.
“I think he’s in outstanding form,” Allardyce told the Football Association website (www.theFA.com).
Joe Hart, left out of the West Ham match, was included in the squad although Allardyce has expressed concern about his lack of match practice.
Luke Shaw, Phil Jagielka, Danny Drinkwater and Theo Walcott returned after missing Euro 2016.
