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During the last international break, Nemanja Matic struggled through matches against Lithuania and Romania, explaining that he hadn’t been ready due to an operation during the off-season. 

“I was personally not ready, I had an operation,” Matic told Novosti.

His national team manager Mladen Krstajic said the midfielder ‘complained of an injury’ prior to the game, and he therefore ‘saved him’ and only brought him on as a second half substitute against Romania.

This time he won’t be playing for Serbia at all.

Mondo report that Manchester United midfielder has been withdrawn from the squad, with his club stating he’ll be out of action for the next seven days, which coincides with the length of the current international break.

Matic is said to have picked up several blows in Saturday’s 3-2 victory over Newcastle United, and ‘back and ankle injuries’ are the biggest problems.

Short of being a little bruised and in pain, this may just be Manchester United trying to get their player some rest ahead of a crucial part of the season.