The disappointment of losing the Copa del Rey to Barcelona seems set to worsen for one of Real Madrid’s first-team players.
Real Madrid missed out on the Copa del Rey trophy after a 3–2 defeat to Barcelona on Saturday night at La Cartuja Stadium.
According to the Spanish outlet El Nacional, Dani Ceballos’ hopes of returning to the Spanish national team have been further complicated following a clash with Lamine Yamal during the final.
The report claims that national team coach Luis de la Fuente prefers to avoid calling up players who may disrupt the unity of the La Roja squad. This policy had already seen Ceballos left out previously following a dispute with Pablo Gavi, and a similar situation is now unfolding after his altercation with Lamine Yamal during the latest El Clásico.
El Nacional also revealed that Lamine Yamal allegedly threatened to withdraw from the national team’s upcoming training camp if Ceballos were selected. In response, De la Fuente acted quickly, choosing to exclude the Real Madrid midfielder to preserve the harmony within the team and protect one of Spain’s most promising young talents.
Ceballos had just recently returned from injury and made his first start against Barcelona in the Copa del Rey final, but he was forced off in the second half due to recurring pain in his left ankle
