Iniesta Out Of Spain Training Camp

The Barcelona midfielder has been excused from joining up with the national squad on Monday due to muscle problems

Andres Iniesta will not take part in the start of Spain's training camp ahead of their upcoming internationals due to "muscular discomfort".

Spain face Costa Rica in a friendly on Thursday before taking on Belarus in a Euro 2016 qualifier three days later.

Iniesta had been a doubt for Barcelona's Champions League final with Juventus because of a calf injury sustained in the Copa del Rey win over Athletic Bilbao, but the midfielder recovered in time to deliver an instrumental performance in the 3-1 victory in Berlin on Saturday, earning the man of the match award as Barca secured the treble.

However, a statement on the Spain national team's official website read: "The FC Barcelona and Juventus players who took part in the Champions League final had permission to join the Spain squad on Monday 8th [June] at 6pm.

"Jordi Alba, [Marc] Bartra, [Sergio] Busquets, Pedro and [Gerard] Pique, as well as [Alvaro] Morata will arrive to Las Rozas where they look to take part in practice at 7:30pm.

"Midfielder Andres Iniesta will no take part on Monday 8th June.

"The Medical Services of the Spanish National Team have taken the decision that the muscular discomfort suffered by the player throughout the past week are sufficient for him to miss practice."

Adebayor Removed From Togo Squad

The Tottenham striker, along with Kossi Agassa and Floyd Ayite, will not feature for the start the Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign versus Liberia next weekend

Tottenham striker Emmanuel Adebayor has been removed from the Togo squad after failing to join up with the team on time.

Togo start their qualification campaign for the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations against Liberia next Sunday.

But they will do so without Adebayor, Reims goalkeeper Kossi Agassa and Bastia attacking midfielder Floyd Ayite, who also showed up late.

"I have no problem with the players as individuals," coach Tom Saintfiet told BBC Sport.

"It's their choice not to come to the hotel, not to be part of the group, and that makes the choice for me very easy to say these players are now not able to be part of the national team.

"We ask only to be as one team together, to prepare us for these important game."

Saintfiet added that the trio had been missing for most of the past week as Togo prepare for Monday's friendly with Ghana.

He said: "Floyd Ayite and [Kossi] Agassa were only one time in training and Emmanuel [Adebayor] came twice, but for the rest of the time I never saw him.

"So I'm very sad about that because these three players were in my squad of 23, they are important players for the country and I was looking forward to working with them."

Michael Babatunde Quits Volyn Lutsk

Babatunde Michael has quit his Ukrainian Club Volyn Lutsk last Wednesday, the player disclosed to Goal in Abuja on Sunday.

“I have quit my Ukrainian club Volyn Lutsk because we had some issues of salary payment. They owe me about seven months salaries which made me to terminate my contract with the club,” Babatunde told Goal.

The player's contract was due to end this summer.

“I have cancelled my contract with them and I am looking forward to joining a new club now.

“Right now I have many offers coming from clubs from Spain, Germany, Belgium and other two clubs also in Ukraine.

“I just keep on praying to God to show me the right club that I will go that I will have playing time.

“I need playing time because after I came back from injury I started playing. So I need playing time so that all my fans in Nigeria and abroad will be happy that I am playing regularly with a club and the Chief Coach of the national team will be happy too,” he said.

The midfielder also expressed optimism that the Super Eagles will beat the visiting Chad national team on Saturday in Kaduna.

“Yes, I believe we will win the match because we have a lot of quality players that are capable of making Nigeria proud in any match they play,” he said.

“The players the coach invited for this game are super ready to give their very best against Chad because you don’t get this kind of opportunity to play in the national team always,” Babatunde concluded.