Erling Haaland, the Manchester City striker, has candidly expressed his perspective on the ongoing debate between club and international football priorities. In a recent interview with VG, Haaland acknowledged the difference in playing for his country compared to an upcoming match against a formidable opponent like Arsenal. He stated, “It’s nice to play for the country. But it’s different to face Arsenal next weekend versus the Czech Republic at home. I won’t lie. There is a big difference”.
Haaland also touched upon the congested football calendar, hinting at the challenges it poses for players: “There are as many matches as possible in the calendar. That seems to be the goal”. He further defended his performance levels amidst a packed schedule, emphasizing that while he can endure more matches than some, the quality of play inevitably suffers: “The quality goes down. You can’t expect me to sprint 70 games with over 1,000 meters of sprinting per game”.
This statement comes amid concerns for his fitness after Haaland was seen limping out of a training session with Norway, although he is believed to have avoided a serious injury. With Manchester City set to face Arsenal soon after the international break, the discussion around Haaland’s participation in friendly matches for Norway, given City’s ambitions in domestic and European competitions, has intensified.