Arsenal striker Takuma Asano's loan with VfB Stuttgart has taken a sudden nosedive.
The Japanese forward had kicked off the season impressively, but since Tayfun Korkut's appointment he has not played a single minute. Korkut replaced Hannes Wolf in January.
Asano is now playing for Stuttgart's reserve team.
And on the night Japan face Mali in Brussels, Asano will be playing in the Regionalliga against Astoria Walldorf.
Asano, 23, is facing a huge battle to make Japan's World Cup squad.