Speaking to Danish newspaper Tipsbladet on Tuesday, Riemer framed the withdrawal as the player’s own call rather than a message from Barcelona. By the head coach’s account, Christensen was in a state when the two spoke the day before.

“Christensen loves the Denmark team. Yesterday, I could almost hear a man crying over the phone because he is extremely frustrated and annoyed about being left out,” Riemer told Tipsbladet, as relayed by AfricaSoccer.

The timing is cruel. Christensen had made his comeback only days earlier, coming off the bench in Barcelona’s 2-1 win at Atletico Madrid on 8 November, where Fermin Lopez’s second-half brace turned the game around. It was his first minutes since a rectus femoris strain in his left thigh picked up on 20 September.

Not ready for 90 minutes

Riemer was careful to park any suggestion that Barcelona had pulled Christensen out. The coach said the player had assessed his own body and reached a conclusion the national team was not going to argue with.

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Even if Christensen can sit on the bench and play five minutes at club level, Riemer said, he is still a long way from being able to play 90 minutes and compete at the highest level in international football.

Portugal away, Norway at home

Denmark travel to Portugal on Saturday and then host Norway on Tuesday, a block of matches Riemer must now navigate without one of his senior centre-backs.

The head coach has already turned his attention to the next international window and the Nations League quarter-finals in March 2027.

“We want him to be ready by March just as much,” Riemer told Tipsbladet.

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