Denmark coach reveals details of Christensen's withdrawal from the national team: he was on the verge of tears

Andreas Christensen faced a tough night upon his return to the pitch with FC Barcelona, playing around half an hour against Atlético after a nearly two-month absence due to injury. He then made the painful decision to withdraw from Denmark's squad for the upcoming matches against Portugal and Norway.

Braian Reimer, the head coach of the Denmark national team, revealed details of a phone call he had with a FC Barcelona defender on Sunday, explaining the level of frustration and sadness the player felt due to his inability to join the national team, despite his strong desire to represent his country.

Reimer stated in comments reported by the Danish newspaper "Tipsbladet": "I had a man on the verge of crying on the phone," referring to Andreas Christensen, who was extremely frustrated after having to apologize for not being fit enough to participate with the national team.

Denmark's coach emphasized that the decision did not come from FC Barcelona, stating in remarks to TV 2 Sport that the player made his own decision after a lengthy conversation between them, realizing he needed to continue his recovery before returning to international competitions.

Reimer explained that Christensen suffered an injury that kept him out of action for eight weeks, and he has faced two difficult years due to recurring physical issues. Therefore, the coaching staff believes that completing his rehabilitation program with specialists at FC Barcelona is the best option at this stage.

He added: "We cannot take responsibility for his recovery during the national team camp," confirming that the Danish defender does not yet feel ready to play in two international matches, which led him to decide to withdraw from the squad.

Reimer spoke about his relationship with German coach Hans Flick, confirming that there is a good relationship between them, despite sometimes differing in opinions. He pointed out that he can pressure clubs to allow their players to join the national teams, but the situation is different when the player himself is not convinced of his ability to participate.

Denmark's coach concluded by affirming his respect for Andreas Christensen's decision, explaining that the interest of the national team also lies in restoring the defender's full readiness, in preparation for benefiting from his services in the upcoming commitments in March.