Jose Mourinho has told of his surprise that Wolves star Adama Traore did not get on for Spain at Euro 2020 on Tuesday.
Traore was an unused substitute as Luis Enrique’s side crashed out of the competition against Italy.
Spain had the lion’s share of possession in the game, but lacked a cutting edge in front of goal.
They eventually lost on penalties, and the inquest has now begun into how they were beaten.
Traore was stripped off and ready to enter the action, but Alvaro Morata then scored which saw Enrique instruct him to go and sit back down.
He then didn’t get on in extra-time, and Mourinho could not understand the decision.
Analysing on talkSPORT yesterday morning, he said: “In England we know Adama Traore very, very well.
“I was just thinking this guy, he puts oil on his body and he goes for the last 20 minutes of extra-time when everybody was in trouble. Everybody had cramps, Chiellini was completely dead!
“I thought Adama can come now and he can destroy. For some reason they didn’t and they go to penalties.”
It was a strange decision
Enrique overlooked Traore certainly was odd.
Italy defended very well, but who knows how the defenders would have coped when presented with the 25-year-old.
He is all about stretching defenders, and he would potentially have been a nightmare to come up against for players having played the full 90 minutes already.