Slovenia head coach Bostjan Cesar suggests Manchester United and Michael Carrick should have avoided playing Benjamin Sesko when he was physically struggling.
After making the £70 million move from RB Leipzig last summer, the 22-year-old striker enjoyed a solid first campaign in English football.
Sesko overcame a relatively low start to cement himself as a regular starter after making vital contributions and scoring decisive goals. He ended the campaign with 12 strikes and one assist in all competitions.
Slovenia Coach Criticizes Man Utd for Playing Benjamin Sesko While Injured
The centre-forward also encountered a few physical problems during the season, and they often occurred just before the international break.
In May, Sesko was asked to turn down his national team’s call-up to recover from a slight knock. Afterwards, the striker picked up from where he left off, but his national team coach didn’t like how Manchester United opted to keep the player due to an injury, only to start him in the following match.
“He [Sesko] missed the last assembly in March and then I kind of wanted him to be absent from United for a while,” said Cesar while chatting with reporters (via the Manchester Evening News).
“But then he came back quickly, and I don’t think he missed a game for the club.”
| Sesko’s Stats in 25/26 | Appearances (Starts) | Goals | Assists |
| Premier League | 30 (17) | 11 | 1 |
| FA Cup | 1 (1) | 1 | 0 |
| Carabao Cup | 1 (1) | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 32 (19) | 12 | 1 |
In early May, Sesko suffered a shin injury during the win over Liverpool, which resulted in him missing Manchester United’s last three games of the season. He will also not be part of Slovenia’s squad for the upcoming friendlies against Cyprus (June 4) and Croatia (June 7).
“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,” added Cesar.
“In cases of injuries, the national team receives all the documentation, and then we decide together with their doctors what is best.”
Cesar’s Claims About Sesko are Misleading
Having also missed the November international break with a knee injury, Sesko won’t attend Slovenia’s camp for the third consecutive time.
While Cesar’s frustration is understandable, Manchester United should not be held accountable for this unfortunate situation or be accused of utilizing a player who lacks match fitness.
The match that the Slovenian manager refers to is the home defeat to Leeds on April 13, where Sesko played the entire 90 minutes.
However, it is important to note that the Red Devils had an unusual 24-day gap between this contest and their previous match against Bournemouth, providing ample opportunity for the former Leipzig star to regain his fitness.