Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard will not play a part in Norway’s UEFA Nations League matches this month as the midfielder has been omitted from the 23-man squad announced by head coach Stale Solbakken on Tuesday.
The 25-year-old has not featured for the Gunners since he picked up an ankle ligament injury while representing his country in their 2-1 victory over Austria in early September.
While announcing the list, Solbakken said that Odegaard’s absence from the team list is not far-fetched as the midfielder is still recuperating from his injury.
“He is far from being in the squad,” Solbakken told reporters. “We will have to see how far he gets during this international break. It is possible that he will come, but it depends a little on his rehabilitation. I have not spoken to him in the past four or five days.”
He added: “Both Oscar [Bobb] and Martin are out at the same time – it would be naive to say that it doesn’t have a meaning. After all, we played the last 35 minutes against Austria without Martin.
“And [we] won that part of the match 1-0, so it’s not like we don’t think we can do it without him. But Martin is very important to the group and he has been among the best in every match in recent years.”
Norway sits second in League B Group 3 of the Nations League with four points, same as table toppers, Slovenia, while Austria and Kazakhstan each have a point.
Solbakken’s side will battle the Slovenians first in a top-of-the-table clash on Thursday, October 10, at Ullevaal Stadion in Norway, before heading out to take on Austria three days later.
The 56-year-old also stated that Manchester City striker Erling Haaland will captain the side in the absence of Odegaard.
Troppen til Nations League-kampene mot Slovenia og Østerrike 🇳🇴 pic.twitter.com/5Kp0OvpYlR
— Fotballandslaget (@nff_landslag) October 1, 2024
Norway’s full squad list
Goalkeepers: Mathias Dyngeland (Brann), Orjan Nyland (Sevilla), Egil Selvik (FK Haugesund)
Defenders: Kristoffer Ajer (Brentford), Torbjorn Heggem (West Brom), Sondre Langas (Viking FK), Andreas Hanche-Olsen (Mainz), Marcus Holmgren Pedersen (Sassuolo), Julian Ryerson (Borussia Dortmund), David Moller Wolfe (Alkmaar), Leo Ostigard (Rennes)
Midfielders: Patrick Berg (Bodo/Glimt), Sander Berge (Fulham), Aron Donnum (Toulouse), Jens Petter Hauge (Bodo/Glimt), Felix Horn Myhre (Brann), Antonio Nusa (RB Leipzig), Morten Thorsby (Genoa), Kristian Thorstvedt (Sassuolo), Hugo Vetlesen (Club Bruges)
Forward: Erling Haaland (Manchester City), Jorgen Strand Larsen (Wolves), Alexander Sorloth (Atletico Madrid)
