The strained relationship between Fernando Llorente and Athletic Bilbao deteriorated further on Monday as player and club differed in their accounts of his failure to attend a scheduled press conference.
Relations between Llorente and club president Josu Urrutia have deteriorated since the striker declined to extend his contract last summer.
He had been due to appear at the regular post-training press briefing alongside teammate Jon Aurtenetxe, but the left-back faced reporters alone.
Athletic used their official Twitter account to announce that “as well as Aurtenetxe, Fernando Llorente should have appeared, but Llorente refused to go out”, but the player said he had already agreed to do a TV interview at that time and could not be in two places at once.
The incident happened after Llorente had been criticised by some Bilbao fans and journalists for acknowledging cheers from Real Madrid fans during Saturday’s 5-1 defeat at the Bernabeu. That came as Madrid’s Ultras directed anti-Basque chants at Athletic players.
The striker was also criticised on Twitter for posing for a photo with international teammate Iker Casillas in the dressing-room after the game.
“It is all nonsense,” he told Telebilbao. “When I came out to warm up, the stand where I was gave me a big round of applause. I wanted to make a gesture of appreciation because they know that things are not going well for me at the moment.
“They know me from the national team, and it was a gesture of affection. The insults to Gurpe and Susaeta came from a different area of the stadium. I am totally against those chants – no team-mate deserves them.
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