Isak ruled out of Sweden's remaining fixtures with thigh injury picked up against Romania

Alexander Isak will return to Liverpool for treatment after Sweden head coach Graham Potter confirmed the striker suffered a thigh injury during Friday’s 2-1 Nations League victory over Romania, forcing him to miss the rest of the September-October international window.

Isak, 27, had been spotted with a bloodied toe after scoring in that win, but Potter clarified at his pre-match press conference that the real issue was a thigh problem that only became apparent in the 24 to 48 hours following the match. The striker withdrew from the squad on the eve of Monday’s game against Poland.

“He’s got a small problem with his thigh,” Potter said. “It’s not a big one but because of the amount of games we’ve got in a small space of time, he won’t be able to make those. Not a big one but it’s frustrating for him and obviously for us.”

Potter explained that the injury worsened after the game, catching the medical staff off guard. “Like anything, you sometimes get bumps and bruises in the game, you might think it’s a bit of a dead leg or something. But actually as the 24 hours, 48 hours after the game, not quite what you think. Unfortunately after getting it checked out, it’s a little bit more than what you think during the match.”

Sweden’s medical team has been in contact with Liverpool, and the club will now oversee Isak’s recovery. Potter acknowledged the loss but expressed confidence in his wider squad. “Clearly there’s not another Alexander Isak, that’s obvious. In an ideal world, we want all our players available but the reality is we don’t have Alex for this game.”

Sweden currently sit top of Nations League B Group 4 following the win over Romania, and Potter’s side host Poland in Stockholm — a rematch of the March World Cup play-off final that Sweden won 3-2 thanks to a late Viktor Gyokeres goal.

For Liverpool, the priority will be ensuring Isak is fit for the Premier League clash with Manchester City on 11 October, with a Champions League trip to face LASK in Austria following three days later. The Reds face nine games in 27 days across that stretch, making Isak’s recovery timeline a significant concern for Arne Slot’s squad.