THIS is why Dream Team managers fear international breaks.
Several key players are now marked as availability concerns for Gameweek 6 following injuries incurred while playing for their national teams.
To begin with, Alexander Isak (£6.4m) will miss Sweden’s remaining Nations League fixtures during this break.
The in-form forward netted a goal for Graham Potter’s side against Romania on Friday night but has since returned to Liverpool due to a thigh injury.
Fortunately, Sweden’s coach reassured the press that Isak’s injury is “not a significant one,” which may enable Andoni Iraola to include the 27-year-old when the Reds face Manchester City on October 11.
Currently, 20.4% of Dream Team managers have Isak on their teams, as he has scored four goals this season, making him the third most popular player in his position.
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Kai Havertz (£4.5m) is almost as popular as Liverpool’s No. 9, with an ownership rate of 18.4%.
However, initial reports suggest that the Germany international might be out for about a month after an unfortunate incident in the 30th minute of the match against the Netherlands on Thursday evening.
It appeared Havertz sustained an impact injury following a strong challenge from Crystal Palace’s Quinten Timber (£3.1m), Jurrien’s brother, but he has since been diagnosed with a muscle strain.
The severity of the injury is still unclear, but if the four-week recovery timeline is accurate, the 27-year-old could miss Arsenal’s next four or five matches.
At the very least, he will raise doubts for the Gunners’ Gameweek 6 double-header against Leeds and Lille.
Cody Gakpo (£5.1m) was substituted in the 17th minute during the Netherlands’ 2-1 victory over Serbia on Sunday.
Oranje head coach Xavi confirmed that the 27-year-old will undergo a scan on his ankle to evaluate the injury’s extent.
Gakpo, who has contributed two goals and four assists for Liverpool this season, appeared to be in significant pain as he left the pitch.
Additionally, Bruno Fernandes (£7m) was absent from Portugal’s 2-1 win over Norway on Sunday after “playing through the pain” against Wales on Thursday.
Jorge Jesus informed the media that his key playmaker “played while injured” and “wasn’t performing at his best” in Lisbon.
It remains uncertain whether Fernandes will be available for the upcoming games against Denmark or Norway.
With an ownership rate of 39.2%, the midfielder is the second-most selected player in Dream Team, and his managers will be hoping he recovers in time for Tottenham’s visit to Old Trafford in Gameweek 6. Concerns will mount if he fails to feature for Portugal during this international break.
It’s been a challenging few days for Regis Le Bris.
Brian Brobbey (£2.7m) reportedly sustained a suspected hamstring injury while playing for the Netherlands.
While Xavi was somewhat vague about Gakpo’s situation, he quickly confirmed that Brobbey needs a substitution in the squad.
This is particularly significant for Dream Team, considering the powerful striker was the top performer in Gameweek 5 and would have likely been a sought-after transfer target under normal conditions.
Brobbey scored a hat-trick away at Manchester City, yielding a 25-point return, but it seems doubtful he will be fit for the upcoming matches against either Brighton or Torreense in Gameweek 6.
Unfortunately, Sunderland defender Dan Ballard (£2.8m) also sustained a suspected hamstring injury during Northern Ireland’s match against Georgia.
Michael O’Neill confirmed that the tall centre-back will miss upcoming fixtures against Hungary, Ukraine, and Georgia.
In other updates, Antoine Semenyo (£5.7m) has returned from Ghana duty due to a “swollen leg,” but he is anticipated to be fit for Manchester City in Gameweek 6.
Brighton’s emerging talent, Charalampos Kostoulas (£2.9m), required stitches for a leg injury suffered against Serbia.
The Greek forward has scored and assisted in his last three appearances for the Seagulls and is currently regarded as only a minor doubt — he may even participate for his country during this break.
Marcus Rashford (£3.7m), Declan Rice (£5m), Tino Livramento (£2.9m), Kobbie Mainoo (£3.7m), and Cole Palmer (£5.6m) all withdrew from England’s squad prior to Spain’s 3-2 win at Wembley, but all five are expected to play for their clubs in Gameweek 6.
It’s becoming evident that Dream Team managers must keep a close eye on their lineups for availability issues as the next deadline looms.
Let’s hope the remainder of the international break goes by without incidents.
