MANCHESTER, UK (March 21, 2023) – Manchester City star striker Erling Haaland will be missing in action in Norway’s upcoming Euro 2024 qualifiers against Spain and Georgia due to a groin injury. The free-scoring forward sustained the injury during Manchester City’s FA Cup quarter-final win against Burnley. This unfortunate news was confirmed by the Norwegian Football Federation on Tuesday.
Haaland has been in exceptional form this season, scoring an impressive 42 goals for the Citizens since joining the Premier League champions from Borussia Dortmund in June 2022. His absence will be a significant blow to the Norwegian team, given that he has scored 21 goals in 23 appearances for his country. – Read more: [Video Highlights] Manchester City dominates RB Leipzig with Haaland scoring 5 goals to seal 7-0 win
National team doctor Ola Sand revealed that after conducting tests and examinations, it became evident that Haaland would be unable to play in the upcoming matches against Spain and Georgia. The best course of action for the striker would be to get a medical follow-up at his club.
“After doing tests and examinations yesterday, it became clear that he will not make the matches against Spain and Georgia,” Sand said. “It is better that he then gets medical follow-up in the club.”
Norway is pitted against Cyprus, Georgia, Scotland, and Spain in Group A. The Norwegian team will face an uphill battle against two formidable opponents, with Spain looming large on the horizon this Saturday in Malaga, followed by a clash with Georgia on Tuesday.
The hopes of securing a win against either team have taken a significant blow with the absence of their prolific striker. The Manchester City player has been in blistering form this season, scoring an impressive six hat tricks and breaking the record for the most goals by a Manchester City player in a single campaign.
Despite the setback, national team coach Stale Solbakken remains optimistic about his team’s chances.
“Erling took it hard when he realized that he could not play for the team,” Solbakken said. “Fortunately, there is still plenty of confidence, talent and unity in this group to win points in the next games.”
The mood in the Norway camp remains, the team’s resilience and determination could lead to an upset, which would be a massive boost for the country’s football team.
