UNL: Norway players speak on revenge on Bernardo Silva as Odegaard’s injury update emerges
Norway’s national football team has provided an update regarding the injury status of Arsenal captain Martin Ødegaard. The midfielder may be available for selection in both of Norway’s upcoming fixtures this week after sustaining an injury during a recent match against Portugal.
In that match on Sunday evening, Norway was defeated 2-1, but much of the post-game discussion has focused on a controversial tackle by Portugal’s Bernardo Silva, which occurred late in the game. Ødegaard had just passed the ball to a teammate near his own penalty area when he was struck by Silva’s heavy challenge.
Visible discomfort was apparent on Ødegaard’s face in the closing moments of the match. In a statement to Norwegian TV2, he criticized Silva’s conduct, stating, “This conduct is inappropriate for professional football. It is regrettable that individuals conduct themselves in this manner. He completely lost control and delivered a kick long after I had released the ball. I cannot comprehend his actions.”
Norway’s next match is against Wales on Thursday, followed by a rematch against Portugal on Sunday in Porto. Though Ødegaard was not expected to participate in first-team training on Tuesday, head coach Brede Hangeland provided an encouraging assessment of his condition. He noted, “He is progressing well and showed considerable improvement compared to yesterday, so we shall see. In this world, two and a half days are an eternity, so it could get dramatically much better until then,” he said.
Hangeland also mentioned that Ødegaard would have a light training session, leaving the decision of participation to the player. When asked if Ødegaard could play in both matches, Hangeland confidently replied, “Sure.”
Team members have not forgotten the incident involving Silva. Patrick Berg expressed anticipation toward the upcoming match, saying, “We’ll have to wait and see. A player coming and kicking our captain could set things off a bit.” Additionally, defender Torbjørn Heggem commented, “It was a bad tackle, and of course, we want to support our captain, but a revenge tackle is rarely something you resort to.”
As the team prepares for the upcoming games, the focus remains on both Ødegaard’s health and the rivalry heading into the rematch with Portugal.
