UEFA Nations League: Haaland named Norway captain, Odegaard out with injury for next two matches

Norway’s captain Martin Odegaard twisted his left ankle on September 9 in Oslo during a match against Austria in the Nations League, was absent from the squad.

Norway, led by Haaland, will host Slovenia in Oslo on October 10 before travelling to Linz to face Austria three days later. | Photo Credit: REUTERS

Manchester City striker Erling Haaland will take over the captain’s armband for this month’s Nations League fixtures, the Norwegian FA said Tuesday, with regular skipper Martin Odegaard still “far from ready” to return to action.

Odegaard, who twisted his left ankle on September 9 in Oslo during a match against Austria in the Nations League, was unsurprisingly absent from the squad which will host Slovenia in Oslo on October 10 before travelling to Linz to face Austria three days later.

The 25-year-old’s injury will also affect Arsenal, which plays Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League on Tuesday.

“He (Odegaard) is a long way from being able to play,” the Norwegian FA said in a statement.

“But he may turn up during the preparations to be with the team,” it added.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said last month that scans showed “there was some damage, especially in one of the ligaments in the ankle”.

Last Tuesday, Arteta said “it will be a matter of weeks” before Odegaard returns.

After two matches, Norway is second in Group B3 of the Nations League behind Slovenia.

Norway full squad

Goalkeepers: Mathias Dyngeland (Brann), Orjan Nyland (Sevilla/ESP), Egil Selvik (FK Haugesund)

Defenders: Kristoffer Ajer (Brentford/ENG), Torbjorn Heggem (West Brom/ENG), Sondre Langas (Viking FK), Andreas Hanche-Olsen (Mainz/GER), Marcus Holmgren Pedersen (Sassuolo/ITA), Julian Ryerson (Borussia Dortmund/GER), David Moller Wolfe (Alkmaar/NED) Leo Ostigard (Rennes/FRA)

Midfielders: Patrick Berg (Bodo/Glimt), Sander Berge (Fulham/ENG), Aron Donnum (Toulouse/FRA), Jens Petter Hauge (Bodo/Glimt), Felix Horn Myhre (Brann), Antonio Nusa (RB Leipzig/GER), Morten Thorsby (Genoa/ITA), Kristian Thorstvedt (Sassuolo/ITA), Hugo Vetlesen (Club Bruges/BEL)

Forward: Erling Haaland (Manchester City/ENG), Jorgen Strand Larsen (Wolverhampton Wanderers/ENG), Alexander Sorloth (Atletico Madrid/ESP)