Norway manager Stale Solbakken and international teammates have spoken out after Erling Haaland asked to be substituted during Norway's defeat to Portugal on Sunday. The Manchester City striker was replaced by Crystal Palace's Jorgen Strand Larsen on 67 minutes, with the game level at that point following Kristoffer Ajer's opener and Joao Cancelo's equaliser for the hosts in Porto.
After Haaland came off, Goncalo Ramos scored the winner for Portugal on 79 minutes, with Jorge Jesus' side winning all four matches in the international break despite Cristiano Ronaldo leaving the camp after one. Much of the focus was on Haaland after the match, though, as he limped out and sparked fears over an injury.
Solbakken plays down concerns
Norway boss Stale Solbakken seemed to play down these concerns, saying that the striker was only ever scheduled to play around an hour. It has been an extremely busy period, with four international games in 11 days and Haaland played 90 minutes of the first three matches.
Solbakken told TV2: 'There are a lot of players who are down in the basement. [Sander] Berge and [Martin] Odegaard are kind of down there digging.
'Erling dug for a long time. I think he took a lot of beatings and was a very good point guard. We were hoping for 60, and he managed 65. That's a lot of positives.'
Teammates say Haaland is 'only human'
Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard played 90 minutes of all four games over the last two weeks, as did Fulham's Sander Berge. Genoa defender Leo Ostigard said his superstar teammate is 'only human' and needed a break after playing so many matches for club and country.
'It's clear that you want him on the field as long as possible. But he plays an incredible number of games, and he's a human being too,' Ostigard said of Haaland.
'Erling is one of the best at turning things on and off. That's also part of what makes him so fantastically good. But the vacation hasn't been the longest, and as I said, he's only human. It's hard to be at his best in every game. He probably would have liked a slightly longer vacation.'
Bodo/Glimt midfielder Patrick Berg said it was no surprise that even Haaland's 'strength finally ran out' in Portugal.
'Of course, we know that he is the world's best goal-scorer, and probably the one who scores goals most often for us. We would love to have him on the pitch, but if that stops, then it stops our energy,' said Berg.
'He has played all three games before this one, so it's not that shocking that his strength finally ran out.'
Haaland's fitness ahead of Liverpool clash
Manchester City are back in action on Sunday with a trip to take on Liverpool at Anfield in the Premier League and Haaland will hope to be ready for that contest.
Norway had an eventful international break, beating Denmark 3-2, but then losing to Wales and Portugal twice.
'I am fully aware that it is the results that count,' said Solbakken. 'Three losses in a row are not good enough, of course. But if you look behind the results, the Portugal games are good. And the same in the other two games periodically.'
