Solbakken reveals Haaland heart-to-heart as City striker limps off in Norway defeat

Erling Haaland limped out of Norway’s 2-1 Nations League defeat to Portugal in Porto on Sunday, prompting coach Ståle Solbakken to reveal the two had held a “heart-to-heart conversation” about the striker’s mounting fatigue — with City’s first match back from the international break a trip to Liverpool.

Haaland signalled to the Norway bench that he needed replacing and was withdrawn in the 67th minute, having been visibly struggling before his exit. Solbakken stopped short of confirming an injury, instead pointing to the cumulative toll of a demanding schedule that has seen Haaland play the full 90 minutes in Norway’s opening three Nations League fixtures — a win over Denmark and losses to Portugal and Wales — on top of a busy start to the Premier League season with Manchester City.

“He was tired against Wales. That’s why we had a heart-to-heart conversation yesterday. We went through the possible options,” Solbakken said in quotes carried by Norwegian media. “He might have played the last 45 minutes against Portugal. That was a discussion. But he has very bad vibes and feelings about it. I am very pleased that he managed to pull out 60 good minutes.”

The Norway head coach also noted the broader context of Haaland’s schedule, which followed Norway’s run to the World Cup quarter-finals over the summer. “He plays pretty much everything on the club team,” Solbakken added.

Haaland had scored in Norway’s first two Nations League games of the break but failed to find the net against Wales on Thursday or Portugal on Sunday. He now stands on a national record of 65 goals in 59 appearances for his country.

The fitness concern arrives at a sensitive moment for Manchester City. Last week the club confirmed they have appealed after an independent commission found them guilty of breaching Premier League financial rules. The commission ruled City had arranged “sham contracts” to circumvent financial regulations between the 2009-10 and 2017-18 seasons, finding them guilty on every rule breach and all but one count of failing to comply with the Premier League’s investigation. City responded by claiming they possessed an “irrefutable body of evidence” to challenge the verdict.

With Haaland the only senior out-and-out striker in City’s squad, his fitness ahead of Sunday’s clash at Liverpool will be closely monitored by Pep Guardiola’s staff.