Benjamin Sesko missed the end of Manchester United's season through injury and the Slovenia manager has spoken about the striker
Benjamin Sesko of Manchester United
Benjamin Sesko will not feature for Slovenia during their upcoming fixtures(Image: Getty Images)
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Slovenia manager Bostjan Cesar has questioned Manchester United’s decision to give Benjamin Sesko frequent minutes after missing games for his country earlier this year.
Sesko was not called up to the Slovenia squad during the March international break to recover from a minor fitness issue.
Sesko has enjoyed an impressive debut season for United after arriving from RB Leipzig last summer in a deal worth around £74million.
The 22-year-old went on to score 12 goals during his first campaign at Old Trafford, seven of which came after Michael Carrick was appointed by United as the club’s interim head coach back in January.
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Sesko featured for United in a 2-2 draw with Bournemouth back in March - the club’s final match before the international break - and went on to be withdrawn from the Slovenia squad due to a minor fitness issue.
The United striker then recovered in time to feature in the club’s next fixture against Leeds on April 13.
However, after picking up a shin injury during the win over Liverpool earlier this month, Sesko was forced to miss United’s final three matches of the season.
As a result, the striker will not be available for Slovenia’s upcoming friendly matches against Cyprus and Croatia, with the national team’s manager taking issue with the way Sesko’s fitness has been managed.
“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.
“But if a player hasn't been in a competitive rhythm for a month, then I don't see the point in him coming and playing at half-strength."
He added: “In cases of injuries, the national team receives all the documentation, and then we decide together with their doctors what is best.”
Carrick offered an update on Sesko’s fitness before United’s goalless draw with Sunderland earlier this month, which was the first fixture the striker missed with the recent injury.
"Ben [Sesko]'s been carrying a shin problem for some time and he took another quite a big bang on it, obviously he had to come off last week, so he wasn't ready today,” Carrick said on May 9.
This is not the first time there has been some tension between United and Slovenia when it comes to Sesko’s availability.
In November, Slovenia were reported to be unhappy with an apparent lack of communication from United about Sesko’s fitness, with the striker being unavailable for two crucial World Cup qualifying matches.
After Sesko suffered an injury in a draw with Tottenham Hotspur, former Slovenia boss Matjaz Kek initially demanded "maximum respect" before playing down the controversy following an update.
"Completely expected from the English media," Kek said in November. "But I emphasise once again: the moment communication was established between us and the Manchester United medical team, the problem was solved in five minutes.
"I thank the club for their cooperation. Our medical team checked their documentation. The matter was quickly resolved. I wish Benjamin a successful rehabilitation and a speedy return to the field, because everyone who knows him knows that he feels best there."