Mapi Leon and Patri Guijarro leave Spain camp: 'It's not the way to return'

Barcelona duo Mapi Leon and Patri Guijarro are the two players who have left the Spain camp ahead of UEFA Nations League games against Sweden and Switzerland this week.

Twenty of the 23 players called up by new coach Montse Tome this week were taken by surprise as they had said they were not willing to play for the national team until further changes were made by the RFEF.

However, following discussions between the players, the government and the RFEF on Tuesday, the majority decided to stay with the squad for the next week.

However, Mapi Leon and Patri have decided not to. They have not been called up by Spain since last September and sat out the World Cup because they were not prepared to play until change happened at the federation.

They say they are happy changes are now being enacted but it is not the right moment for them to come back.

"The reality is that the situation is a different for me and Patri than the rest of our teammates," Mapi Leon told reporters.

"It's not been the right way for us to return. We're not in a place to be told: 'Now you're coming back...' It's a process. Changes are happening but they have not been enacted yet.

"But little by little they are happening and we are happy because the intentions are good, but we need time. We support our teammates, as we have done until now from a distance."

Patri added: "They are working on changes and, of course, we stand with our teammates. It's true that it's a different situation for us.

"It's tough and quite difficult. Being here, after the way everything has happened, mentally we were not ready to stay. That's the explanation."