Believes Serbia is better than Norway
Watch Norway – Sweden on TV 2 Sunday from kl. 17.00
Norway has beaten both Serbia and Sweden away so far in the Nations League, but had to settle for a disappointing 0-0 against Slovenia at Ullevaal.
Next Sunday, Sweden will visit Ullevaal, and the yellow and blue are looking for revenge after the 1-2 loss at Friends Arena one week ago.
Before the settlement, however, the Swedish profile Viktor Claesson comes with an ever so small sting to Norway.
SWEDISH STICK: Viktor Claesson will come to Norway before Sunday’s match. Photo: NILS PETTER NILSSON
– Norway was not as good as Serbia. So we have great chances to win. The feeling is that Serbia is a much better team than Norway was, so I hope we can win on Sunday, says Viktor Claesson to The football channeldespite Norway winning 1-0 over Serbia.
– They have much more quality with the ball
Ludwig Augustinsson completely agrees with his teammate Claesson.
– Serbia is better than Norway. They have many good players. Norway has an offensive duo with Haaland and Ødegaard. But Serbia has much more quality with the ball. So Serbia is a strong team, says Augustinsson, and strikes quickly:
– We want to win this group. Now we are behind and to win the group we must beat Norway. That’s just what matters. We will take revenge. We lost last time because of one of the sickest penalties I have made in my entire career. That’s the truth. I’m still cursed when I see it. That’s not right, warns the Swede.
Snorts of the allegations
Norway’s national team manager Ståle Solbakken snorts that the statements from the Swedish profiles.
– It has become such that I have become too old to be on those things there. I have played Sweden against Serbia, and even watched Sweden against Norway live and afterwards, and there was no doubt that we damaged more chances against Sweden than Serbia did, says Solbakken to TV 2.
Before he responds with an ever so small sting to the Swedes:
– Sometimes the players are characterized by the fact that they do not have the cold, analytical heads, we have to live with that. But then you (media) will probably pull up that war of words a bit, he grins.
Stefan Strandberg does not care much about the sting from the Swedes.
– I talked to Claesson a few days ago, and that was not what he said to me. It’s a way to build up to battle, but we beat them at their home ground, then we’ll see when they come here. If we do what we are supposed to do, I’m not afraid to face Sweden, Strandberg says to TV 2.
– Yes, for you in the media and the people around, it is completely gold. We do not care so much about it. We concentrate on what we are going to do, have a plan ready we want to implement and think about it the most. Then the results come out of it, Strandberg answers questions about what he thinks about the rivalry between Norway and Sweden.
– Doubt that they get revenge
However, Martin Ødegaard is fully aware that Sweden has been better than Norway in recent years.
– It has been clear that they have been better than us, and done well in championships and the like. It is not to hide, but lately we have shown that we have gotten better, says Ødegaard – and gets full support from Stefan Strandberg.
– Based on the last match, we are better than Sweden now. But we have to show it over time before we can brag about anything. Then we will see again on Sunday, Strandberg concludes.
The Norway stopper responds as follows to the Swedes’ statements that they will now have revenge:
– I think it will be an open match that can go both ways. Sweden is a good team. All the offensive players to Sweden got a rest last match. We know we have to be extremely good defensively to keep them away. But if they get revenge, I doubt they will, says Strandberg, and strikes quickly:
– It will smell, and that’s how it will be in Norway-Sweden matches.
Moe left the national team gathering – to Denmark for training camp
Brede Moe is the only dropout from the Norwegian national team squad ahead of the meeting with Sweden in the national league on Sunday night.
This was stated by national team manager Ståle Solbakken at the press conference before the settlement.
– We had an agreement with Kjetil Knutsen and Bodø / Glimt that Brede could travel if we had five stops available for the match against Sweden, says Ståle Solbakken.
Moe did not get to play anything in the first three matches in his debut in the Norwegian A national team squad. Now he travels to Denmark to join Bodø / Glimt’s training camp before the rest of the season in the Elite Series.