Just days out from a crunch Premier League clash with Liverpool, Manchester City are sweating on the fitness of star striker Erling Haaland after he was seen asking Norway head Stale Solbakken to withdraw him from Norway's 2-1 UEFA Nations League defeat to Portugal on Sunday evening.
Haaland gestured at his coach close to the 60-minute mark of the match, with the game evenly poised at 1-1, before limping off the ground in clear discomfort during the 67th minute.
It was not immediately clear whether Haaland had sustained an injury or was merely suffering from cramp and/or fatigue after playing more than five-and-a-half hours of international football across three different countries in less than two weeks.
UEFA Nations League
The UEFA Nations League 2026/27 is contested by the national teams of 54 of UEFA's member associations. They're divided into four leagues based on the rankings of the previous edition, with Leagues A, B, and C featuring sixteen teams each, divided into four groups of four, while League D features six teams divided into two groups of three. It begins in September 2026, with the finals in June 2027.
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The concerns were downplayed by Solbakken, who told Norwegian television broadcaster TV2 that the team had always planned to sub Haaland off during the second half, though the footage seen of the normally indefatigable 26-year-old leaving the pitch awkwardly would still be of immense concern to Manchester City team management.
City will be anxious to get Haaland back to camp for a thorough medical assessment ahead of Sunday's trip to Merseyside, where they'll be looking to maintain their perfect start to the Premier League season.
The game will no doubt be a welcome distraction from the ongoing saga engulfing the club, who were found guilty of more than 100 charges relating to financial fraud, dominating the back pages even during England's UEFA Nations League campaign.
Aaron Murphy has been with Flashscore since 2018 and, as the founding editor of the Australian newsdesk, has reported on-site at several major events in Melbourne including the Australian Open, State of Origin, A-League, NBL and international cricket. You can read his pieces here and contact him on X or LinkedIn.
