'The elephant in the room!' – Why Denmark captain Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg asked to be benched

Denmark captain Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg addressed reporters at Ullevaal Stadion with a surprisingly frank assessment following their 3-2 UEFA Nations League defeat to Norway. The Marseille midfielder conceded that his central midfield partnership alongside Morten Hjulmand simply does not function effectively for the national team.

Despite Hojbjerg attempting to adopt a more advanced box-to-box role in Oslo, Denmark struggled to maintain central control.

The 29-year-old acknowledged that structural tactical changes are urgently required.

Nearing 100 senior caps for his country, Hojbjerg called on head coach Brian Riemer to make tough tactical decisions. He stated that the manager must select either him or Hjulmand as the primary anchor, insisting he would accept a substitute role if it serves the squad's best interests.

Hojbjerg admitted that playing two profile-identical midfielders creates an awkward dynamic on the pitch.

"The elephant in the room is that you have two of the same types in midfield, right?" Hojbjerg stated. "Maybe the coach should choose one and leave the other out, and then we ultimately have to think about the best interests of the team and not our own."

Beyond midfield issues, Hojbjerg criticized Denmark's defensive coordination during Norway's set-piece routines. He expressed frustration over the match-winning goal, where Erling Haaland was left unmarked inside the penalty area to convert a flat short-corner cross.

The captain stressed that allowing the world's elite forward total freedom from a dead-ball situation is unacceptable at international level.

"You can't let the world's best striker stand free on a flat ball on a corner kick," Hojbjerg added. "It's just not good enough."

Denmark look to rectify their tactical issues ahead of Sunday's Group A4 fixture against Wales at Parken in Copenhagen. Riemer must decide whether to alter his central midfield structure or drop one of his primary leaders to restore equilibrium.

The Danish squad complete their travel back to Copenhagen to begin match preparations.

Denmark target a decisive victory on home soil to kickstart their Nations League campaign.