Ipswich Town player suffers another setback – Left out by national team after controversial exit

Núñez omitted from Chile's November squad a month after controversial early departure from training camp; also benched at Ipswich after promising start.

Ipswich Town midfielder Marcelino Núñez has been left out of Chile's squad for friendlies against Colombia on November 13 and 17, manager Nicolás Córdova announced. The omission comes just over a month after Núñez controversially departed an earlier national team training camp following reported disagreements with Córdova and teammate Lucas Cepeda.

Chilean reports previously suggested Núñez had decided not to play for his country while Córdova remained in charge, though the manager has not publicly explained the latest exclusion. Córdova kept Cepeda in the squad and recalled Williams Alarcón after more than two years away. The situation has drawn criticism in Chile, with PrensaFútbol editor Rodrigo Guajardo arguing Núñez made a serious mistake and that Córdova should have handled the dispute better.

The setback compounds Núñez's struggles at club level. The 26-year-old has lost his place at Ipswich after a strong start to the season, with his last first-team appearance coming against Arsenal on September 15. He has since gone five consecutive competitive matches without playing and made just two Premier League appearances totalling 142 minutes this season.