Diego Costa has been omitted from Chelsea’s Champions League squad, a move that further underlines the rift that has formed between the Premier League champions and their top scorer.
Costa’s omission was revealed on Monday as all five of England’s Champions League representatives – Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester City, Liverpool and Manchester United – published their parties for the group stages of Europe’s elite competition.
Spurs have also omitted a striker in the shape of Vincent Janssen.
Liverpool have left out the right-back Nathaniel Clyne. United, meanwhile, have included Zlatan Ibrahimovic despite the 35-year-old not being expected to return from injury until the new year.
Chelsea’s decision to leave Costa out of their Champions League squad is not a huge surprise given that the 28-year-old is yet to return to the club from his native Brazil as he seeks to force through a return to Atlético Madrid, whose transfer ban means the Spain forward cannot move until January at the earliest.
It was expected a deal of some sort would be agreed before then, given Costa’s one-man protest, which followed Antonio Conte telling him via text message that he was not part of his plans even though he scored 20 goals in 35 games as Chelsea secured the title for the second time in three seasons.
Costa remains a Chelsea player after the close of the summer transfer window and is part of their Premier League squad, with the club making it clear they want him to return to training at their Cobham base. As things stand it remains unlikely he will do so, especially as he has accused Chelsea of treating him like a “criminal”.
Chelsea face the Azerbaijani side FK Qarabag in their opening Champions League group match next Tuesday and Costa’s absence from their squad means he will not be cup-tied for Atlético should he complete a move to the Spanish club.
Janssen’s omission comes on the back of a terrible run of form for the Dutchman at Spurs. He arrived from AZ Alkmaar for £18.5m just over a year ago and with a reputation as one of the most exciting young strikers in Europe but he has gone on to score just six goals in 39 appearances for the London club and was available for a transfer during the recently closed window but turned down a loan move to Brighton.
Spurs, who begin their Champions League campaign against Borussia Dortmund at Wembley on Wednesday, have included Fernando Llorente in their 21-man squad following the Spanish striker’s move from Swansea City for around £14m on deadline day.
Liverpool’s decision to leave out Clyne from their 25-man squad suggests the defender’s back injury, which has prevented him from featuring this season, is more serious than first though. Liverpool, who play Sevilla at Anfield on Wednesday in their first Champions League match for three years, have included Phillipe Coutinho in their squad after rebuking Barcelona’s attempts to sign the Brazilian.
Ibrahimovic rejoined United on a one-year deal until the end of the season last month but is unlikely to play until the knockout stages should José Mourinho’s side get that far upon their return to the competition having suffered knee ligament damage in April. Prior to that the striker had scored 28 times in 46 appearances for United having moved to Old Trafford on a free transfer in July 2016.
United face FC Basel at Old Trafford on Tuesday in their opening Group A fixture.