Man Utd star Rasmus Hojlund blasts San Marino players on social media after giving injury update

Rasmus Hojlund has slammed the ‘unacceptable’ treatment he received from San Marino’s players in Tuesday night’s Euro 2024 qualifier and claimed the opposition intentionally tried to injure him.

The Manchester United star scored the opening goal in Denmark’s 2-1 win over San Marino, a result that ensures the Danes remain second in Group H. But Hojlund was on the receiving end of several physical challenges, with a video seeming to show Roberto Di Maio purposefully kneeing the striker in the back widely shared on social media.

After the game, a frustrated Hojlund vented his frustrations: “They [San Marino] targeted me today, as you can see at the end,” he told reporters. “I understand Italian and I could hear them saying that they had the idea to crush me. And you can see from the images that he only had one idea in mind.

“I don't know how my back is,” he added. “You know how it is with adrenaline. Right now I feel good, but I don't know how I will feel. People know that I've had back problems in the past, so it's a frustrating situation.”

Hojlund’s International team Simon Kjaer also claimed San Marino ‘deliberately tried to hurt’ the United attacker, a view echoed by manager Kasper Hjulmand.

Meanwhile, on Wednesday morning, Hojlund posted a video on Instagram of Di Maio’s challenge with an ironic caption of ‘good sportsmanship’. He added in a follow-up post: “We do so much everyday to be the best version of yourself and keep fit for so many games. This behaviour from San Marino last night, trying to injure me was unacceptable!”

The 20-year-old will be particularly concerned about any lingering back injury as an underlying problem prevented him from featuring in United’s opening three matches of the campaign, with the club careful to ensure he was eased into the first-team picture.

Since making his debut at the start of September, Hojlund has netted three goals for the Red Devils in eight appearances, with all of his goals so far coming in the Champions League. The former Atalanta man could break his Premier League duck this weekend when Erik ten Hag’s side face Sheffield United.