Anxious wait over players on cap duty
RAFA Benitez faces a nervous fortnight as he waits to learn if his Newcastle United players will return from international duty unscathed.
The Magpies came through a 135-minute friendly with Royal Antwerp in Spain without any real injury issues, but Benitez’s players then dispersed after that 1-1 draw with seven first-team players off on international duty.
Matt Ritchie (Scotland), Martin Dubravka (Slovakia), DeAndre Yedlin (USA), Chancel Mbemba (Democratic Republic of Congo), Mikel Merino (Spain Under-21s) and Christian Atsu (Ghana) and Islam Slimani (Algeria) have joined up with their national teams.
Even Slimani, who is yet to make a first-team appearance for United since signing in January and did not feature at the Pinatar Arena on Sunday, is expected to play some part during Algeria’s two friendlies over the next fortnight.
Dubravka, meanwhile, faces a 11,000-mile round trip to Thailand with Slovakia and, with Karl Darlow and Rob Elliot suffering from slight shoulder and back injuries respectively, it is essential United’s No 1 returns without an injury.
Benitez knows it is out of his hands what happens to his international players over the next two weeks.
However, he will prepare for the Huddersfield Town game on March 31 as best he can and hope he has an almost fully-fit squad.
“It is the worst thing for us, because you have to keep an eye all the time, checking everyone, and then after every game see if they are fine or played or did not play,” Benitez, who has given his non-internationals a few days off, said of the international break.
“When they have finished it is still if they will come back in time or will come back tired. We cannot change anything.
“You need to talk with the medical staff or coaches, you can try, but some of them are so far away it is impossible to have any control.”