Braithwaite faces very serious punishment for going AWOL at Espanyol
Espanyol have threatened a ‘very serious punishment’ against Martin Braithwaite after the Danish forward left training camp without permission.
Braithwaite, 32, joined Espanyol as a free agent on a three-year deal, after having his previous contract with Barcelona terminated after two years with the Catalan giants. However, his new club were relegated from LaLiga, despite Braithwaite’s 10 league goals across 31 appearances.
While the former Middlesbrough striker did initially join up with his Espanyol teammates for pre-season, he refused to play in Sunday’s 1-0 friendly defeat to Cadiz. On Tuesday, it was reported that he had left their training camp in Marbella without first informing the club.
Now Espanyol have commenced disciplinary proceedings against the Danish striker, who is reportedly not keen to play in the Segunda Division, and may retire from football completely.
Espanyol sporting director Fran Garagarza told Mundo Deportivo: ‘I had talked to him and he told me that he didn’t want to be here and wanted to find a way out. But the situation is very clear: the player has a contract with Espanyol and Espanyol counts on him because he’s a very important player for us.
‘From there, there’s not much more to talk about. He doesn’t want to be here and we can’t do anything there. I can’t tie him up, but obviously what has happened is very serious and there is great disappointment.
‘Espanyol is far above all this, they have an asset called Martin and he has failed in etiquette and in everything. Let’s hope he returns, because if not, we’ll have to start talking about applying the disciplinary regime, and that’s already underway.
‘Our members are being disrespected and we’re not going to allow that. Not from Martin nor anyone else. Anything that is not aligned with the club’s values is a big mistake. It’s a serious lack of respect.’
Mundo Deportivo said Braithwaite was spotted having a meal with his family in Castelldelfells, where he lives, but he refused to pick up Garagarza’s phonecalls regarding his absence from pre-season training.
Garagarza said the Dane’s agent ‘cannot tell us much more’ than confirming Braithwaite’s decision to leave the compound and return home.
The sporting director added: ‘His approach is that he does not want to play in Second Division and we want him to play because he has a contract. For now there is no possible avenue for negotiation.
‘The problem does not lie with the club, because the club has the player and he has a contract. If he comes with an offer, it will be studied and the club will respond. If it arrives, it will be analysed, but it has not arrived.’
Espanyol have further pre-season friendlies against LaLiga club Las Palmas, Qatari side Al-Wakrah and Dutch opponents Utrecht before the start of their second division campaign away to Albacete on August 13.
Braithwaite, who has earned 68 caps for Denmark, was previously on the books at Championship side Middlesbrough between 2017 and 2019, leaving for two separate loan spells at Bordeaux and Leganes before joining the latter on a permanent basis.
After a year with Leganes, he joined Barcelona, where he struggled to fit into the club’s playing team, and made just 58 starts across three seasons in all campaigns.
