Benjamin Sesko’s knee injury sustained during Manchester United’s 2-2 draw against Tottenham has sparked a diplomatic row between the Premier League club and Slovenia’s national team. The striker limped off before full-time and will miss World Cup qualifiers against Kosovo and Sweden, but the controversy extends beyond the injury itself—it’s about communication and respect.
Slovenia Coach Demands Transparency
Slovenia manager Kek expressed frustration over Manchester United’s failure to formally notify the national team about Sesko’s condition. “With all due respect to a great club like Manchester United, we have officially not received anything yet; no papers, no documents,” Kek told reporters. The coach emphasized that his medical team should assess the injury independently and criticized the lack of direct contact from United regarding the decision.
National Team Resilience
Despite the setback, Kek stressed that Slovenia’s priority remains the player’s wellbeing, insisting the nation has never risked sending an injured player onto the pitch. However, he demanded “maximum respect” from Manchester United, highlighting Slovenia’s competitive record and status in international football. Teammate Andraz Sporars acknowledged Sesko’s absence will be significant, calling him a “high-quality footballer” who will be sorely missed.
United boss Amorim expressed post-match concerns about the injury but remains cautiously optimistic about recovery. The 22-year-old has two weeks to recover before facing Everton on November 24th. While Manchester United optimistically believes Sesko avoided serious injury, the club-versus-country tensions reveal deeper issues about respect and communication in modern football.