Asensio's exclusion from the Bayern match sparks controversy at Real Madrid

Asensio's exclusion from the Bayern match sparks controversy at Real Madrid

 Real Madrid announced their squad on Tuesday for Wednesday's Champions League quarter-final second leg against Bayern Munich at the Allianz Arena. Real Madrid are looking to overturn a 2-1 deficit from the first leg at home last week and must win by two goals to advance to the semi-finals of the competition, which they have won a record 15 times.

The biggest surprise in the squad list was the absence of Raúl Asensio, who was left out of the Spanish side's trip to Munich. The Canary Islands-born player, who started and played the full 90 minutes in Friday's 1-1 draw with Girona in La Liga, was surprisingly omitted from Álvaro Arbeloa's squad.

This is particularly significant given the absence of any medical report indicating an injury to the 23-year-old, according to Spanish newspaper Marca. This notable absence comes six days after the Madrid-based paper reported the player's "disappearance" following a dispute with Arbeloa, which prompted Asensio to issue a public apology to his teammates. Now, pending possible clarification from the club, speculation is mounting about his position within the team and even his immediate future.