Norway Pull Haaland from Media Duties Amid Man City Case Scrutiny
Norway have removed Erling Haaland from their planned media duties before the Nations League meeting with Portugal, with head coach Ståle Solbakken seeking to keep the Manchester City striker focused on international football amid renewed attention on his club’s financial case.
Key details
| Item | Detail | Context |
|---|---|---|
| Player | Erling Haaland | Withdrawn from Norway’s scheduled press appearance |
| Club case | 114 alleged regulatory breaches | Relates to Manchester City’s finances from 2009 to 2018 |
| Upcoming fixture | Norway v Portugal | Nations League preparation |
Haaland had initially been expected to speak during the international break, but Norway instead put Benfica pair Fredrik Aursnes and Andreas Schjelderup in front of the media. Aursnes said the squad had been informed of the decision the previous day and accepted it without issue.
Solbakken said the choice was made to protect the forward from questions unrelated to Norway’s campaign. He pointed to the scrutiny faced by Manchester City midfielder Rodri during a press conference a day earlier and said Haaland should be given the best possible conditions to prepare for the match.
The Norway manager stressed that his leading striker’s role in camp was straightforward: to score goals for the national side. He did not want the discussion around City’s boardroom and legal affairs to become a distraction before an important European fixture.
Manchester City have consistently rejected allegations connected to the long-running investigation into their conduct between 2009 and 2018. Recent reports have claimed that the club were found responsible for almost all of 114 charges, including providing inaccurate financial information and failing to cooperate with the investigation.
Solbakken said he had not held a dedicated conversation with Haaland about the reported outcome, but expressed confidence that the striker would handle the situation well. He declined to offer a view on the legal detail, saying he had no more knowledge than those asking the questions and endorsing the British Prime Minister’s call for restraint while matters develop.
Aursnes said the City case had been mentioned within the Norway group but was not dominating discussions. The midfielder explained that he had not followed every update and that the players found the technical aspects difficult to assess.
Norway will now look to ensure the attention remains on Portugal and their Nations League objectives, with Haaland expected to concentrate on the task Solbakken considers most valuable: delivering goals on the pitch.
