Amar Dedic’s Injury Controversy: Newcastle's Handling Under Scrutiny
Newcastle’s handling of Amar Dedic’s fitness has come under fire after the Bosnia and Herzegovina defender was ruled out of international duty with a serious hamstring injury.
The right-back had started brightly at St James’ Park, settling quickly into life on Tyneside, only for a recurring problem to halt that momentum. The first warning sign came in the Carabao Cup against Millwall earlier this month. He felt something then. It never truly went away.
Newcastle’s medical staff were initially optimistic. The message was that the issue was manageable, that Dedic could feature in the next Premier League game against Leeds United. He did. And that, in the eyes of his national team coach, is where everything went wrong.
Dedic lasted just 58 minutes of the defeat to Leeds before he was forced off. For Bosnia head coach Sergej Barbarez, that substitution did not just change a game. It changed his squad plans.
Barbarez points the finger
Speaking in Sarajevo, Barbarez did not bother to soften his words. He argued the situation had been mishandled and insisted the setback could have been avoided with a more cautious approach after the Millwall tie.
He outlined the technical side of the injury, explaining that the damage suffered against Leeds was significantly worse than the original strain. What began as a problem that might have been managed has now become a lay-off that will keep a key player out of Nations League matches against Poland, Romania, and Sweden.
“I would like to say a few technical things regarding the extent of Amar Dedic’s injury. He renewed his injury against Leeds, the extent of the injury is greater than before. If he had rested that game, he would certainly be with us now, but such things happen. He will be absent for three or four weeks. He will not be ready for these four games,” Barbarez said.
For a coach trying to build a competitive, modern Bosnia side, losing his first-choice right-back in those circumstances stings.
A second major blow: Busuladzic out long term
Dedic’s absence is not the only problem. Barbarez must also plan without Kenan Busuladzic, and this one is brutal.
The young midfielder has suffered a major knee injury, tearing his cruciate ligaments. The diagnosis is unforgiving: around nine months out. A season, effectively, gone.
“We also miss Kenan Busuladzic. He will not be in the game for nine months because he tore his cruciate ligaments,” Barbarez confirmed, delivering the kind of update every national team coach dreads.
One defender sidelined for weeks. One promising midfielder gone for most of a year. A Nations League window suddenly looks a lot more complicated.
New faces step in
Barbarez has not stood still. With fixtures coming thick and fast, he has moved quickly to refresh his squad, bringing in four new names to keep Bosnia competitive.
Benjamin Tahirovic, Ajdin Hasic, Arjan Malic, and Luka Duric have all been called into the senior setup. The selection of Duric, in particular, stands out. The Paderborn player has been making steady progress in the German second tier, and Barbarez wants a closer look.
“We handed out several invitations, we invited Benjamin Tahirovic, Ajdin Hasic, Arjan Malic and Luka Duric from Paderborn. He made a step forward in his career, he plays in the Bundesliga. Although the start of the season was not the most important thing, we want to see him in action so that he can be part of our team,” the coach explained.
It is a clear signal: this window will not just be about survival. It will also be an audition for the next phase of the national team.
Alajbegovic scare eases
Amid the bleak injury news, one update offered some relief. Kerim Alajbegovic, the Juventus talent, sparked concern when he was withdrawn at half-time in a recent clash between Juventus and Atalanta. Given the week Bosnia had just endured, another injury blow would have felt like a crisis.
This time, the worst fears were avoided.
“We spoke with Alajbegovic last night. He is slightly injured, he felt pain in his hip. Juventus doctors examined him last night and he is on his way to Sarajevo. He may take a break for a day or two, but it shouldn’t be anything special,” Barbarez said.
So Bosnia will have their Juventus midfielder, but not their first-choice right-back or their emerging central midfielder.
For Newcastle, the questions will linger. For Barbarez, the only question now is whether this patched-up squad can still punch its weight in a Nations League window that suddenly looks like a test of depth, judgement, and nerve.
