Photo: Marius Simensen/Bildbyrån
It has been a heavy Nations League gathering for Norway.
First, they cruised in the opener against Kazakhstan and in the second match the team captain, also the Arsenal star, Martin Ödegaard was out with an injury.
– It was a misstep, and anyone who has played football knows that it can go well as long as the ligament hasn’t broken, says national team captain Ståle Solbakken to TV 2.
The national team break has been difficult for some nations. In Sweden, most of it has been about the conflict between the national team captains Jon Dahl Tomasson and the 20-year-old midfield talent Hugo Larssonwho left the group shortly before the 3-0 win against Estonia.
But even our neighboring country Norway has had a hard time (which perhaps pleases some here at home). The premiere in Group 3 in the B division only ended 0-0 away to Kazakhstan, which can be seen as a miscalculation for Erling Braut Haaland, Martin Ödegaard & Co.
The team captain broke down
Even in the second match, at home against Austria, it looked difficult for a long time. It was tied for a long time, until Manchester City star Haaland scored 2-1 in the 80th minute.
But before that, the team captain had Martin Ödegaard25, has been forced off the pitch due to a really nasty injury. He turned his foot wrong, stomped crookedly and grinned evilly. The Arsenal midfielder then limped off the pitch. The whole thing was of course a big nightmare for the whole of Norway. At home on the TV couches, all Norwegians held their breath.
– You can see from his body language that he is in terrible pain, says Norwegian TV 2’s commentator Morten Langley.
– It hurts terribly right away. It doesn’t look good right now, says the NRK expert Kristoffer Løkberg.
The confederation captain’s concern
After the match, the national team captain gave Steel Solbakken an update on Ödegaard, who has been one of the Premier League’s best players in recent seasons.
– It didn’t look good in the dressing room either. He sat with the medical team around him. It was a misstep, and anyone who has played football knows that it can go well as long as the ligament hasn’t come off, Solbakken told TV 2.
– It is not certain that Arteta (MichaelArsenal manager) calls and praises me this evening.
The national team doctor Ola Sand gave a fairly reassuring message later in the evening. Ödegaard has sprained his ankle and now awaits several examinations.
We simply have to hope that it was not too serious an injury to Ödegaard. It would be sad if one of the Premier League’s brightest stars misses part of the season.
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