A potential diplomatic row is brewing between the Slovenian national team and Manchester United over the handling of striker Benjamin Šeško’s injury.
Slovenia’s head coach voiced clear frustration during a recent press conference, revealing that his federation has yet to receive any official medical documents or communication from the Premier League giants regarding their star player’s condition.
“With all due respect to Manchester United, as of now we have not received any official notification or paperwork,” the coach stated. “We want our own medical team to directly assess his condition; our doctor is a leading specialist in this field.”
While acknowledging he has had conversations with Šeško and possesses some preliminary information, the coach refused to comment further without formal contact from United. He expressed deep concern for the player’s wellbeing, emphasizing that “the player’s health is the most important thing, and we would never let anyone play if there is any remaining risk.”
However, he also firmly staked a claim for the national team’s authority, adding a pointed message: “The national team is something very special, and we expect the utmost respect, whether it’s from a big club like Manchester United or a league like the Premier League.”
According to reports from Laurie Whitwell of The Athletic, Manchester United’s position is that Šeško’s injury is not considered serious. The club has decided to keep the 21-year-old at their Carrington training base during the international break for assessment and treatment.
This situation creates a delicate standoff, pitting a club’s desire to protect its asset against a national team’s right to independently evaluate one of its key players for crucial upcoming matches.