Robinho left out of Real Madrid squad

Updated 15.28 Sat Aug 30 2008
Keywords: football, Real Madrid, Chelsea, Robinho

Robinho has been left out of the Real Madrid squad for Sunday's Primera Liga opener against Deportivo La Coruna.

The decision to omit the Brazil international comes amid continued speculation about the wantaway winger's future, with Robinho insisting negotiations with Chelsea were ongoing.

The decision to omit the Brazil international comes amid continued speculation about the wantaway winger's future, with Robinho insisting negotiations with Chelsea were ongoing

He declared more than a week ago that he wanted to leave Madrid and join Chelsea, but Madrid coach Bernd Schuster still included the 24-year-old in his squad for last Sunday's Supercopa second leg against Valencia, although did not play him.

Madrid insist they do not want Robinho to leave but have said they will not keep a player at the Bernabeu against their will.

But with the transfer still in the balance, Chelsea manager Luiz Felipe Scolari has been at pains to point out that the club's degree of success this season will not be dependent on whether Robinho arrives or not.

The Brazilian coach, who takes charge of his first London when Tottenham travel to Stamford Bridge on Sunday, knows time is running out to beat the transfer deadline.

Scolari admitted he wanted to sign two more players following the departures of Andriy Shevchenko and Shaun Wright-Phillips and that Robinho had long been his number one target.

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