Hojlund opened the scoring for Denmark on Tuesday night (Picture: Getty)
San Marino players set out to deliberately injure Manchester United star Rasmus Hojlund with a challenge that could have ‘broken his back’, says Denmark captain Simon Kjaer.
Hojlund opened the scoring in Tuesday’s European qualifier before the European minnows scored their first competitive goal in four years to level the tie.
Youssef Poulsen’s 70th minute header sealed the win for the Danes, putting qualification for next summer’s competition within their reach.
The United star was on the end of a horror challenge in the 87th minute, kneed in the back with his teammates left furious.
Denmark skipper Kjaer compared the incident to one in the quarter-finals of the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, where Colombia defender Zuniga crashed through Brazil star Neymar.
The forward missed the rest of the competition as a result, fracturing a bone in his spine that sidelined him for six weeks.
To further infuriate the Danish players, Kjaer revealed he overheard San Marino players discussing plans to try and intentionally hurt his young teammate – even offering to translate their scheme from Italian to the match referee.
Denmark skipper Kjaer was furious (Picture: Getty)
‘I said in the end that it is a clear red card against Højlund, because it is 100 percent deliberate – and I think that there has been a situation with Neymar,’ he told TV2.
‘Exactly the same when he gets a knee in the spine, where he actually breaks his back,’ Kjaer said.
‘It’s dangerous, and they are right next to it. After all, I told him [the referee] right on the pitch that now they are going after his knees after the situation down there.
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‘I also said to the referee “do you want me to translate now?”‘
Hojlund joined United in a £72million deal from Atalanta in the summer transfer window. He has scored three goals in his first two Champions League appearances for the club but is still waiting for his first in the Premier League.
United head to Sheffield United in their first game back after the international break on Saturday.
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Neymar fractured a bone in his back in a similar challenge in 2014.