McLeish bemused by Benitez
29 Jul 2009 - 13:28:46
Birmingham City boss Alex McLeish has expressed his disappointment after learning that Christian Benitez featured in an all-star match in his native Ecuador last week.
The striker, who moved to St Andrew's for £7.75million earlier in the summer, is meant to be recovering from shoulder surgery.
The 23-year-old did not ask the club for permission to play in the match that was part of an anti-racism festival.
When asked about the incident, McLeish said: "No, Christian shouldn't have played. But we'll investigate further and speak to him when he comes over."
Meanwhile, Cameron Jerome, Marcus Bent, Franck Queudrue and Jordon Mutch are all currently receiving treatment for injuries sustained during pre-season.