The Ukraine national team has announced an expanded 30-man squad for the first four matches of the 2026/27 Nations League, and Brentford midfielder Yehor Yarmolyuk is not among them. The decision sparked widespread discussion in the Ukrainian football community, as on the eve of the squad announcement the Ukrainian had started in the English Premier League match against Chelsea and played 69 minutes — his longest stretch of the current season. It was precisely this contradiction between his club playing time and his absence from the national team that prompted a flood of questions, which have now been answered specifically.
Official version: "inflammation" and the staff's decision
Ukraine head coach Andrea Mandorla had previously explained the midfielder's absence by citing suboptimal physical condition linked to "inflammation." According to insider Igor Burbas, Brentford's medical staff, together with the national team's coaching staff, decided to use the autumn international break for a full course of rehabilitation. The goal is to allow Yarmolyuk to reach optimal fitness by the next part of the season, when the load on the midfielder will increase noticeably both at club level and for the national team.
The detail revealed by the insider: a vaccine after the Chelsea match
Igor Burbas reported that on the morning after the Brentford–Chelsea match, Yarmolyuk was given a vaccine, after which any physical exertion is prohibited for eight days. This exact time window coincides with the international match window, making it impossible to undergo full preparation and take part in the national team's training process. Thus, the midfielder was not sidelined due to an acute injury; on the contrary, he underwent a scheduled medical procedure that requires enforced rest.
The player's own reaction: "I hate missing matches"
Yehor Yarmolyuk publicly expressed regret at being unable to join the "blue-and-yellow." In a social media post, the midfielder admitted that being called up to the national team had always been his main childhood dream and a great privilege, and he is deeply disappointed that he will not be able to help the team during the autumn break. "It's hard for me, I hate missing matches, but I understand that going through the proper recovery process will help me be more effective on the pitch — both for the national team and for Brentford — in the coming months," Yarmolyuk wrote. According to him, Brentford has scheduled a separate recovery period for him, designed precisely for these eight days.
Contradictory data
In the public domain there are two somewhat different formulations of the reason for Yarmolyuk's absence. On the one hand, coach Mandorla used the term "inflammation," which implies an acute inflammatory process requiring treatment. On the other hand, insider Burbas points to a scheduled vaccination carried out only after the Chelsea match had finished, when the midfielder had played 69 minutes. At first glance, these versions conflict: if the player had an acute inflammation requiring eight days of complete rest, his starting in a Premier League match would look inexplicable. However, on closer examination the logic holds together: the "inflammation" could have been a chronic or subclinical condition that did not interfere with match load but required completing a rehabilitation course (including vaccination) during a period free of matches. Nevertheless, neither the national team's coaching staff nor Brentford have officially disclosed the full medical protocol, so both versions — "inflammation" and "vaccination" — remain in public circulation as complementary rather than mutually exclusive.
Context: Yarmolyuk's path to the national team and the "blue-and-yellow" schedule
Yehor Yarmolyuk last played for the Ukraine national team at the end of March 2026 in a friendly against Albania, which ended in a 1:0 victory. He was not called up for the first control matches under Andrea Mandorla in May–June due to injury. Now, in the new 2026/27 Nations League season, the "blue-and-yellow" will play their first two rounds away: on 25 September Ukraine will face Hungary, and on 28 September — Georgia. The two nominally home matches — against Northern Ireland (2 October) and Hungary (5 October) — will be held in Trnava, Slovakia. Thus, Yarmolyuk will miss all four encounters, but, by design of the medical staff, he should return in optimal form by the November window.
Recall that earlier, former national team defender Evhen Levchenko, in an exclusive comment for Sport RBC.UA, shared his expectations for Ukraine's upcoming Nations League matches, noting that the absence of one or two midfielders, given a sound tactical scheme, should not critically affect the result. Details — on Sport RBC.UA.
