Mata surprised by Spain omission

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Chelsea midfielder Juan Mata has admitted being disappointed after he was left out of Spain’s national team for the upcoming international matches against Belarus and France.

Mata, who missed last month's friendly against Saudi Arabia and World Cup Qualifier in Georgia after Chelsea requested he be given a break following a busy summer, expressed his frustrations with coach Vincente del Bosque over his decision to omit him.

High hopes

-Not being called to join the national team was tough, said Mata to Grada360.com.

-[It is] bad news for me, I can't deny it...even more since I feel in such a good moment. Obviously I was hoping to play with Spain, as I have done in the last four years.

-Every time I've played for my country, also in the previous categories, whatever my age, I've done so with great passion and I've tried to make the most of it.

-That's why I volunteered for the European Under-21 Championships two years ago and for the Olympic Games this last summer, right after the Euro Cup, he added.

Bosque named a 23-man squad for the 2014 World Cup qualifiers in Belarus and Spain over the next week.