Vicente Del Bosque in NEW dig at Chelsea after Cesc Fabregas withdraws from Spain duty

Posted Thursday, November 13, 2014 by Dailystar.co.uk

SPAIN boss Vicente Del Bosque has risked sparking a fresh club versus country row with Chelsea - this time over Cesc Fabregas.

Vicente Del Bosque in NEW dig at Chelsea after Cesc Fabregas withdraws from Spain duty
FALL GUY: Cesc Fabregas' withdrawal has opened up old arguments with Spain

Del Bosque yesterday insisted he had been forced to take the midfielder's word that he was suffering from a hamstring injury after medical tests showed no apparent problem.

Fabregas, who played the full 90 minutes against Liverpool on Saturday, has now been released from the international squad.

Del Bosque's comments about the situation come just a few weeks after a public bust-up with Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho over striker Diego Costa.

Speaking about Fabregas, the Spain manager said: "We had to wait a few days to evaluate Cesc's injury and we opted for him not to continue with us.

"His muscle seems all right but he complains and he is the best doctor. I prefer to be deceived but I cannot be distrustful.

"When a player of his calibre tells you that he is injured, you have to believe him.

"At times we have been flexible but not in this case."

Mourinho claimed he had gambled by playing Fabregas for in Chelsea's 2-1 win over Liverpool at the weekend and immediately after that match insisted the midfielder would be doubtful for their next game against West Brom.

He also said he expected Fabregas to be sent back early from international duty with Spain because he wasn't fit.

Mourinho said: "Fabregas, in this moment, I think is a problem for the next match because we gambled everything on a hamstring problem and the medical department took the risk together with me."

Del Bosque's revalation that Spain's medical team couldn't identify an obvious injury threatens to reignite his simmering row with Mourinho.

The Chelsea boss was fuming last month when Costa missed four games after aggravating a hamstring injury.

Mourinho blamed Spain for making his star striker play twice in four days, before Del Bosque hit back and insisted he'd done nothing wrong in his treatment of the player.

That feud appeared to be over when Costa - who also played for Chelsea against Liverpool on Saturday - was left out of this week's Spain squad for Saturday's Euro 2016 qualifier against Belarus and next week's friendly against Germany.

Instead, the focus is now on Fabregas - who has returned to England to undergo rehab with Chelsea's medical team.