14 November 2023 , 10:53
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Norway head coach Stale Solbakken has played down fears over Martin Odegaard’s injury after the Arsenal star withdrew from his nation’s games against Faroe Islands and Scotland
Odegaard, 24, has missed Arsenal’s past three games and the north London club have been tight-lipped on the severity of the issue. While he has been receiving treatment on a hip injury, it has since been revealed that he missed the Premier League game away to Newcastle 10 days ago because of concussion fears having been struck in the face by a ball in training.
The Gunners captain subsequently missed the Champions League meeting with Sevilla and Saturday’s league win at home to Burnley. Yet Odegaard had initially been named in Norway’s squad, fuelling hopes of a return, only for it to be confirmed yesterday that he would no longer be available.
But Solbakken said that there was a point last week when the national team thought he could be passed fit, indicating that the problem is not severe. “The club [Arsenal] are so reserved about it so I don’t know how much I should say about it,” Solbakken said.
“I have known all about the injury so I’ve never really planned on having Martin. We took him in the squad because at that time there was hope that he could play against Sevilla or Burnley at the weekend.
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"But when it became clear early in the week that he probably wouldn’t make it, we stopped planning with him.”
Solbakken added: “I can say that it is a very normal football injury that you’ll very likely recover from completely. It’s not career-threatening! He will play many more international matches for Norway.”
And the Norway boss went on to confirm that Odegaard would link up with the team for Thursday’s friendly at home to the Faroes and has been set a specialised training programme as he steps up his recovery.
Norway then face Scotland in Glasgow on Sunday evening knowing that they need other results to go their way to seal a play-off spot.
“He is going to have an individual programme for a few days now,” Solbakken added. “Then we hope he will come to watch the game against the Faroe Islands and can be with us for the entirety of Friday. That’s the plan.”
Arsenal return to action with a trip across the capital to face Brentford on November 25 but which point it is hoped that Odegaard is passed fit to play.