Cesc Fàbregas has told Sergio Ramos that if he has anything to say about him in future he should say it to his face.

Ramos had questioned the commitment of his Spanish team-mates to the national cause, comments widely interpreted as criticism of Fabregas and his Chelsea team-mate Diego Costa who did not make the recent Spain squad for the Euro 2016 qualifier against Belarus because of hamstring injuries.

Fabregas was ruled out by Spain’s medical staff while Costa was rested by the coach Vicente del Bosque after a constant struggle this season to prove his fitness, though both played in the first game back after the international break, the 2-0 victory against West Brom at the weekend in which Costa scored the opening goal.

Ramos said at the time that: “Laying out rules is difficult. Often with injuries there can be a world of difference between what we have and what is said in public.

“Above all I would have liked the players to show the same commitment to the national team as they do to their club. You must communicate this commitment and spirit to all the new players.”

Fabregas responded on Tuesday night when he told the late-night Spanish radio show, El Partido de las Doce on the Cadena Cope station, that he had felt annoyed and offended by the Real Madrid defender’s comments.

“I told Ramos at the time that if he has something to say to me then he should pick up the phone and call and not send messages via the media,” he said.

Ramos trains under the eye of Spain’s coach Vicente del Bosque. Photograph: Marcelo Del Pozo/REUTERS

“Yes, I felt offended, and told Sergio how I felt. We eventually spoke on the phone and all is fine.

“It really irked me that my level of compromise was doubted. I’ve played many times and been involved in call-ups without playing.

“I’ve played 94 games for Spain over the past nine years and have always shown up... always and always in good faith. I had tendinitis in my left hamstring.”

He referred to the Real Madrid midfielder Luka Modric who will be out for three months after picking up a thigh injury while playing for Croatia. “If I played I could have ended up with an injury not to dissimilar to that of Modric,” he said.

“I spoke with Del Bosque and all was fine. He’s an ex-player and used to these situations.”