Manchester City goalkeeper Claudio Bravo withdraws from Chile squad

By Giuseppe Labellarte, Reporter | 15 March 2018

Claudio Bravo withdraws from the Chile squad after La Roja refused the Manchester City goalkeeper's request to appoint his old goalkeeping coach to the national team.

Claudio Bravo has withdrawn from the latest Chile squad after the national setup turned down his request to use a specific goalkeeping coach.

The Manchester City goalkeeper was in the squad named by new Roja coach Reinaldo Rueda to play friendlies in Sweden and Denmark next week.

Bravo has since pulled out of the squad, citing a family commitment and also stating that there were technical reasons which he had explained to the Chilean FA.

"I was worried about something that was very important to me – my preparation and work, the reasons for which the federation are aware," the 34-year-old wrote on Twitter.

Chilean FA president Arturo Salah subsequently revealed that Bravo wanted Julio Rodriguez, his old coach from Colo Colo, appointed to the national team, a request which was refused.

Salah responded by saying: "The nominations of the people who are going to work are done by the technical bodies, and that is the way it should be, it is important that the players respect the roles, otherwise the activity is very bad."

Bravo has won 119 caps for Chile, helping the nation to two consecutive Copas America in 2015 and 2016.