Slovenia manager Bostjan Cesar has criticised Manchester United's management of Benjamin Sesko's fitness, accusing the club of rushing the striker back from injury. Sesko will miss Slovenia's upcoming friendlies against Cyprus and Croatia due to a shin problem sustained in United's win over Liverpool earlier this month.
Cesar expressed frustration that Sesko was withdrawn from the Slovenia squad in March with a minor fitness issue, yet played for United shortly after. “He missed the last assembly in March and then I kind of wanted him to be absent from United for a while, but then he came back quickly and I don't think he missed a game for the club,” Cesar told reporters on Monday.
The 22-year-old, who joined United from RB Leipzig last summer for £74 million, scored 12 goals in his debut season, seven under interim head coach Michael Carrick. However, his recent shin injury has ruled him out of United's final three matches and the international break.
This is not the first tension between United and Slovenia over Sesko. In November, former Slovenia boss Matjaz Kek expressed dissatisfaction with communication from United when Sesko missed World Cup qualifiers. Kek later downplayed the issue after receiving medical documentation.
Carrick had confirmed Sesko's shin problem before United's draw with Sunderland on May 9, stating the striker had been carrying the injury for some time and took a heavy knock. Cesar added, “In cases of injuries, the national team receives all the documentation, and then we decide together with their doctors what is best.”
