Borussia Monchengladbach say Fabian Johnson returned from international duty with a thigh injury, one day after United States coach Jurgen Klinsmann said the right-back was not hurt.
The Bundesliga club announced on their website that Johnson had already returned to Borussia Park and was undergoing treatment on his thigh after Klinsmann dismissed him from U.S. camp.
Johnson played 110 minutes on Saturday as the U.S. lost 3-2 to Mexico in extra time in a Confederations Cup playoff, but Klinsmann said on Monday that the full-back asked to come off after complaining of muscle tightness.
"He said he couldn't go anymore and I reacted to it and obviously and made the substitution," Klinsmann said. "He just feared to possibly get an injury, but he was not injured in that moment. He got all stiffened up. It's a muscle issue. It's normal."
Klinsmann said he had "severe" words with Johnson about that decision and sent him back to Germany before the Americans' friendly against Costa Rica on Tuesday (7 p.m. ET, ESPN), saying the defender needed to "rethink his approach" toward the national team.
.@FabianJohnson23 is back at BORUSSIA-PARK and is being treated for a thigh injury. #fohlenelf pic.twitter.com/jI6nl2HzQV
- Borussia (@borussia_en) October 13, 2015
Johnson did not train with his club teammates on Tuesday, but Gladbach said he could still feature against Eintracht Frankfurt on Saturday.
The 27-year-old already missed five weeks in August and September with a right hamstring injury.
Johnson is the only U.S. player to feature in the UEFA Champions League this season.
Gladbach suffered another injury setback by losing Granit Xhaka for several weeks. The Swiss midfielder tore ankle ligaments while on international duty and is set to miss several weeks.
He damaged the same ankle on which he picked up an injury a year ago during Switzerland's 1-0 win over Estonia and needed help leaving the field with just 10 minutes of the game remaining.
Tests confirmed the worst fears with Xhaka now joining Nico Schulz and Patrick Herrmann in the Gladbach treatment room, although no official prognosis has been released.
Herrmann and Schulz have both recently torn cruciate knee ligaments.