Borussia Dortmund coach Jurgen Klopp has questioned the decision of Japan coach Alberto Zaccheroni to call-up winger Shinji Kagawa for his country's friendly against South Korea on Wednesday.
Dortmund's Kagawa missed the first half of the year after breaking a bone in his foot during January's Asian Cup and has worked his way back to full fitness for the German champions.
Dortmund began their defence of their Bundesliga crown with a 3-1 win over Hamburg on Friday as Kagawa caused the defence constant problems and hit the post in the first-half.
But the 22-year-old now faces return flights to Japan for the friendly against South Korea in Sapporo, something Klopp would have preferred him to avoid doing so early in the season.
"This is bitter, but we can't change anything," said Klopp after Italian coach Zaccheroni named Kagawa in his squad to face South Korea.
He then added sarcastically: "I just hope he comes back from the most meaningful international match in the history of the game healthy and free from injury.
"I guess I'm not the only one who is looking at this game critically.
"The match itself is not so bad, but he must fly halfway around the world to play in it and that doesn't do the sport any good."
After playing in Japan, Kagawa will jet back to face Hoffenheim next Saturday.
Zaccheroni has called up six players from the Bundesliga.
They include defenders Tomoaki Makino (Cologne) and Atsuto Uchida (Schalke), midfielders Makoto Hasebe (Wolfsburg) and Hajime Hosogai (Augsburg), plus forwards Shinji Okazaki (Stuttgart) and Kagawa.
Source: AFP
