MARBELLA (VG) Erling Braut Haaland (22) will not be seen during Norway’s internationals against Spain and Georgia in the coming week.

Norway begins its EC qualifier to Spain on Saturday. Next week is an away game against Georgia. Both matches went without Haaland on the pitch for the Norwegian national team.

Jærbuen injured his right groin. An injury he had never had before, said national team doctor Ola Sand.

Viaplay expert and former national team stopper Rune Bratseth stated that Norway is now missing a world-class striker in a team that is not flooded with world stars.

– Him and Ødegaard who represent something extraordinary and we need that. Losing Haaland… we can’t afford it. We really don’t have him and there is no doubt that we need his quality,” Bratseth told VG.

TV 2 pundit Jesper Mathisen was in Marbella ahead of the match against Spain and had the following in mind when he was presented with the Haaland news on Tuesday morning:

– I think it’s April 1st. Unfortunately no. It was a nightmare for Solbakken and Norway to wake up from. Especially given Haaland’s form, he said and continued:

– It was the worst thing that could happen before Solbakken’s most important week in charge of the national team. That is, Norway’s chances in these two matches and in all qualifications dropped dramatically. No player can create the fear and do the damage that Haaland can.

The Norwegian Football Association (NFF) made the news on Tuesday morning. The press release stated that Haaland had been experiencing pain in his groin following the FA Cup tie against Burnley, in which the Norwegian scored a hat-trick and played for just over an hour.

– We hoped this was just the familiarity that would carry over to Saturday, but after yesterday’s tests and tests it became clear that he would not feature in the games against Spain and Georgia. It is better for him to receive medical follow-up at the club, said national team doctor Ola Sand.

Haaland thus traveled home from the national team meeting.

Bratseth cautioned that Haaland also relies on a good team at the back and Fredrik Aursnes is really developing at a high level. He hopes and believes that national team manager Ståle Solbakken will not spend any energy on externally disfiguring Haaland or against group play.

– That he finished it, didn’t talk about it and that was embarrassing and stupid. But I’m sure Solbakken did.

– But what do you think Solbakken thought in his sober mind when he was told that Haaland would not be ready?

– He probably had nightmares about things like that in the past, about Ødegaard and Haaland. Now his nightmare has come true. Then he just needs to, because Drillo is smart too, to spend a little bit of energy on things he can’t do.

TV 2 pundit Mathisen believes the following about Solbakken’s thoughts when he received messages about the injury.

– May not be suitable for printing. I think he’s frustrated, annoyed and upset. Then he also has an important match ahead of him. He couldn’t spend more calories on it, he probably overcame the situation quickly, and abandoned his plans without Haaland, he said.

The national team manager has made a statement on the NFF’s own website.

– Erling had a hard time when he realized that he could not fight for the team. Fortunately, there is still plenty of confidence, talent and cohesion in this group to pick up points in the next matches. We will not get hung up on a millimeter, but continue work to fully prepare for Saturday and Tuesday, said Solbakken.

It’s not the right time for Ståle Solbakken and his men to lose their biggest star. The away matches against Spain and Georgia are considered to be the two toughest fixtures for Norway in the EC qualifiers, which start next Sunday.

As well as Spain and Georgia, Cyprus and Scotland are the countries that are in Norway’s group in the EC qualifiers.

In December last year, VG surveyed the striker’s injury. It turns out that Haaland doesn’t have as good an injury history as some of the best strikers in the world, but there are also players who have had far more rest than the Norwegian.

Also in January last year, he was struggling with his groin. Then he had to last six matches for Dortmund.

After moving to Manchester City, Haaland only suffered a brief injury, and he praised the medical staff at the club. He has been on the pitch in 26 of 27 Premier League matches.

Haaland missed the private internationals against Ireland and Finland in November last year due to injury.