Riemer: "Christensen was almost crying when I called him"

Christensen withdrew from Denmark's Nations League squad after returning from injury; manager Riemer said the defender was emotional on the phone, feeling unprepared for international football.

Andreas Christensen played 30 minutes for Barcelona against Atlético Madrid after nearly two months out with a muscle injury sustained in September. The Danish centre-back was expected to feature in Denmark's upcoming Nations League matches against Portugal and Norway, but has withdrawn from the squad.

Denmark manager Brian Riemer revealed the emotional nature of his conversation with Christensen, telling Danish media Tipsbladet: "He loves the Danish national team. Last night I had an almost crying man on the phone, because he is very frustrated and upset about this situation."

Riemer explained that Christensen himself decided he was not ready, prioritising a full recovery over the risk of playing international matches.

Riemer added that despite his return to action, Christensen cannot yet play a full 90 minutes at competitive intensity. "Although he could be available for the bench and play five minutes, there is still a long way to go until he can play 90 minutes and be competitive at the highest level," the manager said.

Both Christensen and the Danish federation agreed the best course was to complete his rehabilitation without unnecessary risk.