Hungary edged Slovenia 1-0 in an international friendly, a match that carried more attention than expected.
The game came during the international break, a period many club managers, including Arne Slot, often worry about due to player workload.
Hungary controlled most of the game and finally broke through in the 79th minute.
Szabolcs Schön scored the winner with a clean volley after a loose ball fell his way.
Dominik Szoboszlai once again played a key role.
He dictated the tempo and created chances before being substituted late on to protect the lead.
For Liverpool fans, the bigger concern was fitness.
Szoboszlai has already started 43 games this season.
Only Virgil van Dijk has played more.
That made Marco Rossi’s earlier comments stand out, especially after Slot spoke about players not getting rest during the break.
Slot had said, “Yeah, it’s a break for me, maybe it’s a break for you, but it’s not a break for the players.
“I saw this today for the first time and maybe if I’m saying something wrong now then I’m wrong, but I thought I read today [Thomas] Tuchel, the England national team manager, said to 15 players they had to come in later during the camp.
“And if I am correct, but I have to read all the names one more time, those were mainly the players that have played Champions League and played so many games this season.
“Unfortunately for us, it’s the only country where we don’t have internationals, so all the other ones will probably use our players again twice.”
Rossi’s initial response sparked talk of a cheeky jab, even if the full context was not clear at the time.
After the match, Rossi addressed the situation directly and pushed back on how his words were reported.
He first said as , “I have never spoken to Arne Slot.
“I never interfere in anyone’s decisions, not even when he plays Dominik Szoboszlai as a full-back.”
“I would expect the club coaches not to tell the national team captains what to do. I am not obligated to play anyone.”
“If Dominik said he wanted to rest – like anyone else – I would let him. Since he is the team captain, the national team jersey is very important to him.”
“The best interests of the national team are the primary concern for everyone here, and for us to achieve good results.”
He later clarified the situation again. Rossi explained, “I never had any say in when the Liverpool head coach, for example, would play Dominik Szoboszlai as a defender.”
“But I would also expect him not to have any say in my work.”
“If Dominik wanted to rest, of course I would let him, but everyone knows how important the national team jersey is to him as a team captain.”
“What is important for us now is to end these two games with a good result.”
Frustrated by the media reaction, Rossi added per quotes relayed via M4 Sport, “You can’t think I’m so arrogant and stupid that I’m comparing myself to a coach who won the Premier League at his first attempt and is leading his team in the Champions League.”
“I can’t be compared to him, we can’t be mentioned together, I had no intention of comparing myself to him at all.”
“He said he hoped Szoboszlai and Kerkez wouldn’t play full games, he didn’t say they couldn’t play, and if we take it that way, I already complied with his request tonight because I substituted them both.”
“Far be it from me to think that we are on the same level, we are not comparable to a coach of such magnitude who manages Liverpool.”
“I have the utmost respect for him.”
“But since I am the national team captain of the Hungarian national team, I feel that the Hungarian national team and Hungary deserve respect.”
“There is no polemic between me and Arne Slot, none at all.”
The message is simple.
There is no feud.
But the concern over Szoboszlai’s workload remains very real.
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