Ødegaard reports on Norway’s failure
National team manager Ståle Solbakken confirmed that captains Martin Ødegaard and Alexander Sørloth will have to miss this week’s national team meetings due to injury.
– Both are out, and we’ve actually known for quite some time that Martin wasn’t coming, Solbakken said at Monday’s press conference.
He did not want to discuss Ødegaard’s injury in depth, but said that the Norway and Arsenal captain was in the training phase for 14 days.
However, Ødegaard is expected to be present during the private international against the Faroe Islands at Ullevaal stadium on Thursday, and then with the team throughout Friday.
– He himself wants it, and I want it. He is a fantastic captain on the pitch, but equally fantastic off the pitch. It means a lot to the players and support staff. “We don’t get together that much in a year,” Solbakken said.
On Sunday, the European Championship qualifiers ended – in which Norway could not finish in the top two – away to Scotland, but no replacement was brought in for Ødegaard or Sørloth.
Then naturally the question arises regarding the top scorer in the elite series, Amahl Pellegrino, who has still never made the national team.
– This is purely a competition regarding who we think can contribute the most to Norway in the short and long term, said Solbakken.
Ødegaard has missed the last three games for Arsenal, while Sørloth was ruled out due to injury in Villarreal’s match against Atlético Madrid on Sunday night.
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