Opinion: Lopetegui Likely Concerned as Another West Ham Star Faces Suspension on International Duty

The 29-year-old featured for his country on Saturday (16 November) as they recorded their second consecutive draw in the UEFA Nations League.

Despite an overall solid performance, the West Ham midfielder received a yellow card for an ill-timed challenge, ruling him out of the match against Georgia on 19 November.

According to iSport, he “reached for the ball in a dangerous area in vain.”

This suspension may be a concern for Julen Lopetegui, who has already faced discipline issues early in his tenure at West Ham.

While Soucek missing the second international game could be seen as a positive for the Hammers boss, the booking itself might be frustrating.

Edson Alvarez has already illustrated how lapses in judgment can hurt the team.

The Mexico international was sent off in the Carabao Cup against Liverpool and again during the 3-0 defeat to Nottingham Forest on 2 November.

These incidents suggest the former Ajax midfielder has yet to fully adapt to the demands of his new club.

Soucek’s suspension on international duty may now give Lopetegui pause, though the Czech midfielder has been a reliable and popular figure at the London Stadium since joining four years ago.

A consistent performer, the ex-Slavia Prague man has earned the admiration of fans.

Nevertheless, both Lopetegui and the Hammers faithful will hope Soucek learns from this incident and avoids further unnecessary suspensions.

With West Ham entering a critical phase of the season, they can ill afford to lose players to disciplinary issues, as seen with Mohammed Kudus’ recent absence.

Ensuring key players remain available will be crucial to maintaining momentum in the coming weeks.