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Costa left out of Spain squad

Costa would have been ineligible for the first match against Luxembourg even if he had been selected, due to amassing too many booking in Spain’s qualifying campaign.

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Morata and Nolito have been rewarded for their form at Juventus and Celta Vigo respectively.

Spain manager Vicente Del Bosque will have won over a lot of Arsenal fans after criticising Diego Costa’s behaviour against the Gunners and omitting the striker from his latest squad.

“He can’t play the first match and we preferred not to bring him”.

Valencia’s Paco Alcacer is also in Del Bosque’s squad, despite scoring just once this season, leaving a few question as to when Costa can expect a recall and how hard he’ll have to work in order to earn it.

The striker is serving a three-game domestic ban at Chelsea after the FA retrospectively punished him with violent conduct for shoving his hand in the face of Laurent Koscielny during the controversial derby against Arsenal on 19 September.

Bayern Munich midfielder Thiago, who has returned to form after a series of knee problems and last played for La Roja in a friendly against Italy in March 2014, comes in as cover for injured pair Andres Iniesta and Koke.

Spain can make sure of their place at the tournament in France next year with a win against minnows Luxembourg, who are second-from-bottom in the section.

Del Bosque has pointed out Costa’s one match suspension as the reason the Chelsea man was not included.

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Spain are close to securing qualification for the 2016 European Championship, being now top of the group with 21 points, two above Slovakia and five ahead of Ukraine.

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     AXED Costa has been dropped from the Spain squad