Aston Villa defender Matty Cash is facing a fresh injury concern after being withdrawn from Poland's international squad due to discomfort, his national team manager has confirmed.
International Duty Cut Short
Poland manager Jan Urban revealed that the right-back was unable to feature in Monday night's 3-2 World Cup qualifying victory against Malta after experiencing problems during training. Cash had been named among the substitutes for the match but ultimately remained an unused player on the bench.
The defender's issues emerged just days after he completed 81 minutes against the Netherlands in Poland's previous qualifier on Friday night. He was replaced by Paweł Wszołek in that encounter, with the same player stepping in against Malta.
Villa's Growing Concern
This development presents a significant worry for Aston Villa manager Unai Emery, with a crucial period of domestic and European fixtures approaching. Cash has been a consistent presence for both club and country this season, having already featured in 19 matches across all competitions.
The demanding schedule with limited recovery time has increased the physical strain on players, putting those with heavy workloads like Cash at heightened risk of injury.
Urban explained the decision to TVP Sport before kick-off against Malta: "Matty Cash's replacement is due to a minor injury. He felt quite a lot of discomfort during training. We don't want to risk the health of the players. Paweł Wszołek can easily replace him in a match like this."
Critical Fixtures Loom for Villa
All attention now turns to Villa's Premier League clash against Leeds United at Elland Road on Sunday. The club will be desperately hoping the defender's discomfort subsides in time for this important away fixture.
The challenges don't stop there for Villa, who face a busy schedule next week with a home match against BSC Young Boys in European competition followed by a Premier League encounter with Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Villa fans can expect a clearer picture of Cash's availability when Unai Emery provides his customary team news update during Friday's press conference at the club's Bodymoor Heath training ground.
