Ethan Ampadu has been released from his national team commitments with Wales and will return to Chelsea rather than travelling to Albania with the rest of Ryan Giggs’ squad.
The cultured young player was on the receiving end of a harsh tackle from the Danish player Kasper Dolberg while playing in the Red Dragons’ Nations League loss on Friday.
Ampadu lay still for some time after the impact, which clearly stung. Not to be perturbed, he got back on his feet and left one in on the Ajax man shortly afterwards.
His manager Giggs was about as annoyed as he was, and demonstrated with his opposite number Age Hareide on the touchline in its aftermath.
The other Wales players made their displeasure be known, too, backing up the talented youngster and taking the physical stakes up a bit themselves.
“I just thought it was a cheap shot,” Giggs said.
“You have got a lad just turned 18 who broke his leg when he was 17. It was a late tackle.
“I realise we are not playing tiddlywinks.
“It is a competitive game, and there are going to be tackles, which is part of the game and I like that.
"But for a young lad who has been injured badly recently, it was a cheap shot.
"That’s why I reacted, and I was proud of the players how they reacted, protecting a young player, which is how it should be.
“It shows that they care and shows they are not going to be bullied, and I like that in a team.”
His captain, Ashley Williams, was pleased with the collective reaction to the clattering that Ampadu got, too.
"I don't think he lost his head. I thought he was doing what he needed to do," Williams said.
"The guy put him in the stand and you react to that and look after yourself.
"They were leaving a bit on us and we were leaving a bit on them and sometimes the game goes like that. I thought it was brilliant the way the lads reacted."
That challenge may have taken its toll, though, as Ampadu has been released without immediate explanation by his national federation.
