Rules in Spain dictate that clubs cannot have more than three non-EU players in their squad, and with Atletico opting to include Eduardo Salvio, Radamel Falcao and Miranda in their selection, there is no room for Elias.
“The club and I have chosen to leave out Elias,” said Manzano. “It was purely a sporting decision, taking into account the fact that we have other players who can perform the same function.
“Many points were analysed, and it was not an easy decision. His positive attitude since the first day he arrived in December made it a difficult choice, but it is better for him and the club,” concluded the Atletico coach.
Elias joined Atletico from Corinthians in December 2010, and is now being linked with a move to Sporting Lisbon. He has eight caps for Brazil, and was a part of the 2011 Copa America squad.
