Slovenia boss Bostjan Cesar has warned Manchester United that he will not be pushed around over Benjamin Sesko’s international availability.
Sesko will miss the friendlies away to Hungary in Budapest on Saturday and Montengero in Podgorica on Tuesday after he withdrew to recover from what United said was an issue they have been ‘carefully managing throughout recent weeks’.
Cesar accepted the decision but still wanted Slovenia’s medical staff to assess their star striker at a training camp in Ljubljana this week.
United were happy for Sesko to go because he had planned to head home for a few days’ rest anyway, and it meant he could have his first face-to-face meeting with the new national team manager since Cesar took over in January.
However, it follows a tense stand-off between club and country in November when Sesko withdrew with a knee injury sustained at Tottenham and Cesar’s predecessor Matjaz Kek complained over a lack of communication from United.
Slovenia’s subsequent defeat to Kosovo ended their hopes of World Cup qualification, and it was decided that Kek’s contract would not be renewed.
On Friday, Cesar said he accepted the reasons for Sesko pulling out on this occasion, but warned that Slovenia would stand their ground in future when it came to calling up the 22-year-old.
National teams can insist on players reporting for duty even if their clubs say they are injured, and Cesar said that United will be treated the same as Slovenian teams such as current league leaders NK Celje when it comes to enforcing UEFA rules.
‘Normally the national team is crucial for us, a little less so for them (United), but it's better for Benjamin not to train for these 14 days,’ said Cesar. ‘Our medical department immediately assessed that it would not be good for him to play.
‘We have to value ourselves. We are a small country, but this is a national team. For me, and I am the responsible one, there will be no deviation here.
‘Whether it’s Manchester United or Celje, you know what UEFA's national team rules are. There will be no deviation.’
Sesko, who was pictured doing some light exercises with his teammates as part of a fitness test at the training camp on Tuesday, is expected to be available for United’s next game at home to Leeds on April 13.