Manchester City’s super-striker Erling Haaland has suffered a groin injury and has been forced out of the Norway squad for the Euro 2024 qualifiers. The 22-year-old linked with his international teammates this week after entering the international break with eight goals in two games against RB Leipzig and Burnley for City. He scored a hat-trick in Man City’s 6-0 FA Cup victory over Burnley, but it appears to have come at the cost of a groin injury.
Erling Haaland will not play in the forthcoming matches against Spain and Georgia as a result of being permitted to return to Manchester for more treatment after additional testing. The Norwegian FA stated in a statement that Haaland’s return to England and ‘medical follow-up at the club’ had been recommended by physicians of the national squad.
City sweat over Erling Haaland knock with important run if fixtures ahead
Erling Haaland had already scored a hat-trick against Burnley after he was replaced in the 62nd minute. Pep Guardiola had jokingly said that the forward’s substitution was to prevent him from breaking Lionel Messi’s record, but it appears that it was also to prevent further injury. Haaland extended his excellent from in his debut season at City by scoring his sixth hat-trick of the year in the victory over Burnley, bringing his season’s total goal tally to 42.
However, the former Borussia Dortmund player has suffered a groin injury, which will now keep him out at least until the international break is concluded, that is after two weeks. City will hope their main-man recovers to full fitness in the span of the two weeks in order to be available for the club’s important run of fixtures in the league, FA Cup and the Champions League.
Speaking of Erling Haaland’s injury, Norway head coach Ståle Solbakken said:
“Erling took it hard when he realised that he could not fight for the team. Fortunately, there is still plenty of self-confidence, talent and cohesion in this group to win points in the next matches. We are not going to hang on one millimeter, but continue our work to be maximally prepared for Saturday and Tuesday.”
Norway doctor Ola Sand added:
“We hoped that this was just an injury that would carry over to Saturday. But after doing tests and examinations yesterday it became clear that he will not make it to the games against Spain and Georgia. It is better that he receives medical follow-up at the club.”
Man City manager Pep Guardiola will be hoping that Erling Haaland will be able to feature in their immediate Premier League clash post the international break against Liverpool at the Etihad on April 1. Furthermore, on April 11 and April 19, Guardiola’s team will play Bayern Munich over two legs in their pivotal Champions League quarterfinal matchup. Despite having played one fewer game than the league-leaders Arsenal, City are eight points behind the Gunners in the race for the Premier League title.