Liverpool's Alberto Moreno: Spain's Under-21 Manager Plays Down Injury Fears

Spain Under-21 manager Albert Celades has played down the injury fears over Alberto Moreno after the Liverpool defender was left out of the squad during the Euro 2015 play-off qualifier defeat against Serbia.

The former Sevilla left-back was not even on the bench for the crucial game, with the Under-21s playing for a place both in the Euro 2015 and the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.

Some reports suggested Moreno may have picked an injury but after the game, Celades claimed the Liverpool left-back was fit to play and was left out of the squad for technical reasons.

The Spain Under-21 boss opted to use Valencia's Jose Luis Gaya rather than Moreno in the left-back role while Liverpool's Javier Manquillo played on the right-side.

"Alberto Moreno has nothing; there was no physical problem or anything preventing him from playing," he said, as quoted by AS, in the press conference after the game.

"It was a technical decision, because we thought that, coming into this match, Gaya was better in that position.

With Moreno's replacement scoring an own goal, Spain lost 2-1 against Serbia and crashed out of Euro 2015.

Spain won the tournament in 2011 and 2013 but will not be able to defend their Championship title in the Czech Republic next summer.

"We have given everything to win, but in football the best team does not always win. They have had two shots on goal and scored two goals. We played a good game, had a lot of the ball, we had it all, but it did not do us any good. It is very hard for us all to take," Celades said.

"The team did not deserve this outcome. Until the last second, we tried to resolve things but we could not turn things around. We are left with a bad feeling and the dressing room is broken, because these guys have given everything and it was impossible."