Report: Spain Trio Threaten to Quit National Side in a Show of Defiance Over Team Director
A trio of Spain internationals are threatening to stand down from representing their country in a show of solidarity for team director Maria Jose Claramunt.
Sergio Ramos, Gerard Pique and Sergio Busquets all said that they will refuse to play for the national side if Claramunt was relieved of her duties. Claramunt, as reported by the Sun, was officially fired on Thursday by Spanish FA Chief Juan Luis Larrea, and a number of senior squad members are understood to be unhappy with the way the news was broken to them (just before their recent game against Liechtenstein).
Ramos, Pique and Busquets supposedly stayed behind after that announcement was made to voice their displeasure, and threaten their withdrawals from the squad.
PIERRE-PHILIPPE MARCOU/GettyImages
Interestingly, Larrea is now banned from the team's dressing room and has not congratulated Spain on their World Cup qualification.
His election as FA Chief is under investigation, and calls have been growing for there to be a re-election within the RFEF, which could see Claramunt return to the fray.
Spanish supporters will be hopeful the situation can be resolved soon, and that the threats made by the star trio are not acted upon, especially with the World Cup getting ever closer.
Spain qualified for the tournament in Russia with relative ease under Julen Loptegui and there is hope that they can go for glory and end germany's recent international dominance.
