Norway Manager Stale Solbakken defended Erling Haaland and several Premier League players after they hired a private jet and made a quick escape from Porto last night.
Just half an hour after the final whistle blew at the Estadio do Dragao following Norway’s 2-1 defeat by Portugal, Haaland, Martin Odegaard, Sander Berge and Kristoffer Ajer were seen boarding a minibus and taken to a local airport to fly back to England.
It is believed that from here they will disappear for a short holiday before the Premier League resumes this weekend.
Solbakken told VG: “It wasn’t just Haaland who left early. There are a lot of people leaving now. They need a breather. They’ve been given a few days off from their clubs.”
“I understand they book a private plane when they have two or three days off. You have to remember that the teams that have gone very far in the World Cup have a lot of players who have had minimal vacation time. Then it’s the start of the season and then a mini international tournament. It’s extremely stressful.”
Haaland left due to exhaustion
Haaland lasted 67 minutes of the match against Portugal before being signaled to leave. He was seen with a slight limp as he left the stadium, but Solbakken said the substation was always pre-planned.
He added: “We were expecting 60 minutes after the conversation we had yesterday, and he got a little over 65.”
When he returns from his mini-holiday, Haaland will plunge into the maelstrom that has engulfed Manchester City while he has been away.
City was found guilty of 114 counts of financial malpractice and also of obstructing the investigation. They have denied any wrongdoing and appealed the sentence last week.
Former Borussia Dortmund star Haaland has not spoken on the subject since being linked with Norway and City’s players are likely to stay away from the media ahead of Sunday’s game at Liverpool.
City can expect a hostile reception at Anfield with Liverpool, the club who have probably suffered more than any other as a result of City’s methods.
