Sweden has two important matches in the European Championship qualifiers next week with matches at home against Bulgaria on Thursday and away against Montenegro on Sunday.
But it is not enough that Simon Birgander will miss the matches, now it is also clear that the national team’s other big star Ludvig Håkanson will also be missed for Sweden.
– The EC is our big goal and it’s very sad to miss these two matches, so it’s tough, says Håkanson, who has a sprained foot, to SVT Sport.
This, of course, means that Sweden’s chances of making it to the European Championship in 2025 deteriorate.
Hear in the clip above what Håkanson thinks about the national team’s chances in the EC qualifying matches.
“It makes everything a little more fun”
The forecast is that Håkanson should be able to be back in the game in about two and a half weeks. Birgander, who on weekdays also plays with Håkanson in Spanish Murcia, has a similar injury and therefore they can do rehab together.
– It makes everything a little more fun. He is an incredibly positive guy.
But it upsets him that the injury came just as he was playing the basketball of his life.
– It’s not a very serious injury, but that’s what happens in basketball. It’s a tough period now, but I’m sure that both me and Simon will be in full shape hopefully for a final in Spain in May, he says.