Slovenia defender Jaka Bijol has defended Benjamin Šeško after Paul Scholes and Nicky Butt questioned whether the Manchester United striker’s shin problem should prevent him from playing. Šeško has withdrawn from international duty after suffering a recurrence of the shin problem that disrupted the end of his first season at Old Trafford, with United confirming that he is undergoing further tests before an individual recovery programme is decided.
The injury became a subject of debate when Scholes and Butt discussed Šeško on The Good, The Bad & The Football. Scholes joked that if the striker had not broken his shin, he should put shin pads on and play, while Butt offered a similarly uncompromising assessment, saying a player either breaks his shin or plays.
Bijol has now responded publicly to the criticism of his Slovenia teammate. Speaking about Šeško’s situation, the defender warned that comments of that kind can add pressure to a young player already dealing with injury and a difficult period of form. He urged Šeško to distance himself from the outside criticism and focus on the support of those who know his ability.
Bijol’s intervention adds another dimension to the debate surrounding Šeško’s absence. The question is no longer simply when the striker will return, but whether prominent former United players have been fair in questioning an injury that the club itself is still investigating.
United have not provided a definitive diagnosis or return date. Slovenian reporting says Šeško was due to undergo an MRI scan in London because the pain has returned in the same area that caused problems last season. That makes the nature of the injury important when assessing the criticism from Scholes and Butt.
United remain at the testing stage, meaning there is not yet a complete public medical picture from which to judge whether Šeško could reasonably continue playing. The striker has already faced considerable scrutiny since arriving at Old Trafford, with high expectations surrounding United’s major investment at centre-forward while his interrupted availability has made establishing rhythm more difficult.
Bijol believes adding further pressure is unlikely to help. Those around the Slovenia squad know what Šeško is capable of, he argued, and the striker should concentrate on recovering and rediscovering his best form rather than allowing external criticism to affect him.
The episode highlights the contrasting expectations surrounding injured players. Scholes and Butt approached the issue from the perspective of former United players who believe footballers should play through discomfort whenever possible, while Bijol’s response focuses on the pressure being placed on a young teammate whose injury is still being medically assessed.
For United, the immediate issue remains Šeško’s fitness. Further tests should provide greater clarity over the recurring shin problem and determine the recovery programme required before he can return to Michael Carrick’s side. Until those results are known, the debate over whether Šeško should simply be playing is taking place without a confirmed diagnosis from the club.
