Brian Brobbey was forced off the pitch after just 35 minutes during Netherlands' 1-1 Nations League draw with Germany on Thursday, raising immediate concerns for both his club Sunderland and the Dutch national side.

The 24-year-old appeared to suffer a hamstring injury following a non-contact incident, dropping to the floor before quickly signalling to the Netherlands bench for a substitution. Although Brobbey was able to walk off unassisted, he was seen limping down the tunnel with support from Netherlands medical staff.

Xavi's Netherlands debut overshadowed

The match marked the first game in charge for new Netherlands head coach Xavi — the Barcelona legend taking the helm of the Dutch side. Despite the difficult circumstances, Xavi confirmed after the game that a replacement would be called into the squad ahead of Sunday's Nations League fixture against Serbia.

"Someone is joining, but we don't know who yet," Xavi told reporters. Netherlands will also face Greece and Serbia again on October 1 and 4, respectively.

Sunderland responded swiftly on X, formerly known as Twitter, writing: "Brian Brobbey was forced off in the first half as the Netherlands secured a late point against Germany. Wishing you a speedy recovery, Brian."

A controversial night in Düsseldorf

The evening took an ugly turn following Brobbey's exit. Germany declined to return possession to Netherlands after the injury stoppage and went on to score through Felix Nmecha, taking a 1-0 lead. Cody Gakpo equalised in the 92nd minute to rescue a point for Xavi's side, but the match finished level and the incident sparked frustration on the Dutch bench.

Germany also had their own injury concern on the night. Kai Havertz went down shortly before Brobbey's exit, and Germany manager Jurgen Klopp confirmed after the game that Havertz would miss their upcoming Nations League matches.

The stakes for Sunderland

Brobbey has been a key figure for Sunderland this season, starting all five Premier League matches for a combined 424 minutes. He most recently made headlines with a hat-trick at the Etihad Stadium, though it came in a 5-3 defeat to Manchester City.

The Black Cats will be anxiously monitoring his recovery ahead of their next Premier League outing on October 10, when Brighton visit the Stadium of Light.