Bosingwa 'faked injury to get out of game'

Chelsea's Jose Bosingwa has been accused of faking injury to avoid playing for his country.

Portugal coach Paulo Bento said Bosingwa and ex-Blues defender Ricardo Carvalho will only go to Euro 2012 “as spectators” after his side demolished Bosnia-Herzegovina in their play-off on Tuesday.

Bosingwa announced he would no longer play for Portugal under Bento when he was left out of the squad for the play-off tie.

But Bento has claimed the full-back pretended to be injured to avoid facing Lionel Messi and Argentina in a February friendly.

“Bosingwa and Ricardo will only go to the Euros as spectators,” he said. “I’m not interested in the subject and the players do not exist while I’m in charge.

“A professional footballer could never fake injuries, and Bosingwa invented an injury so as not to play against Argentina.

"For me, a player would never invent an injury to avoid a call for the national team. That is very serious.”

Last week, Bosingwa claimed he felt “insulted and disrespected” by the treatment he receives from Bento.

“He has not mental or emotional capacity to lead a group of men,” the Chelsea defender said. “I cannot understand what the coach means in Portugal when he talks about mental and emotional issues in relation to me - because I think it would be difficult for a player to reach the level I have if I had those weaknesses.”

Carvalho, now at Real Madrid, was banned by his country after walking out of a training camp in August after he was not picked to face Cyprus.