With new Spain boss Luis Enrique causing a stir last week when he left Jordi Alba out of his first squad, the reason why he did not select the FC Barcelona star has now reportedly been revealed.
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During the manager's last season at the Catalan club, it was well-documented that he and Alba had fallen out.
The fullback found himself on the bench more often than not, and even publicly expressed his frustration at not being picked more regularly.
Daringly, but perhaps unsurprisingly, the 29-year-old was not among those selected for Enrique's first squad as Spain boss, with left-backs Jose Gaya and Marcos Alonso being preferred.
However, according to Sport, the door for Alba to return to the La Furia Roja fold is still open, with it being claimed that Enrique used his first selection to send a message to the player.
The coach is fully aware of the qualities that the left-back possesses, but will apparently only select players he feels have the right attitude for his team.
The new Spain boss is said to be looking for a positive reaction from Alba, who has been in superb form for Barca so far this season.
The fullback also received a lot of support from his teammates when he was overlooked by Enrique, something the manager has reportedly noted.
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The Blaugrana man has represented Spain on 66 occasions so far, and was part of the La Furia Roja squad that won the 2012 European Championship.
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