Alvaro Arbeloa left Spain fuming. The Fulham manager ordered his players off the pitch before the end of a friendly in Malaga yesterday, and the Spanish press wasted no time mocking the former Real Madrid defender.
Arbeloa's side pulled out of the pre-season fixture and handed Malaga the Costa del Sol Cup without a penalty shootout ever taking place.
The game finished 2-2 in normal time. But after a penalty was awarded against them in the 90th minute, Arbeloa's players refused to take part in the shootout. The manager himself had already seen red.
So furious was Arbeloa that he collected a red card and marched his players off in protest at the referee. The trouble was, a penalty shootout still had to settle the tie.
Iñigo Jauregi stepped up to take the first spot-kick against an empty net and duly scored, sparking celebrations at La Rosaleda over a Costa del Sol Cup won with more than a hint of farce.
Chants of "Where is Arbeloa? Where is Arbeloa?" rang out from the stands, according to Foot Mercato, and the target had brought it all on himself.
AS called it a "resounding failure". Marca went further, branding it an "insult" and a "regrettable lack of respect".
Neither of Arbeloa's two new signings from Real Madrid, Gonzalo Garcia and Cesar Palacios, fancied talking about it afterwards.
Garcia offered nothing more than a "goodnight" to reporters. Palacios was a touch more candid, insisting he had no clue what had sparked the incident. "Honestly, I have no idea," he said.
Fulham cut a sorry figure thanks to their manager, and the Spanish press is milking it for all it's worth today at Arbeloa's expense.