Stale Solbakken reveals details of Erling Haaland 'heart-to-heart' before substituting Man City star in Norway defeat to Portugal

After a grueling summer at the World Cup followed by an immediate return to club and international duties, Haaland looked physically spent during the latest international break. The strain was evident as he failed to find the net in consecutive matches, a rare occurrence for the prolific 26-year-old.

The City forward was seen visibly hobbling before making way in the 67th minute, which has caused significant anxiety for his club side. With vital fixtures against Liverpool and Paris Saint-Germain looming on the horizon, Enzo Maresca will be desperate for positive news regarding his primary attacking weapon.

Solbakken did not hold back when describing the pressure placed on his star man, noting that the current schedule is "completely insane" for players competing at the highest level. The coach revealed that he held a deep discussion with Haaland to gauge his readiness for the Portugal clash, eventually deciding to limit his minutes to protect his long-term health.

"In today's match, he gave us 60 good minutes," Solbakken explained, as cited by Dagbladet. "He played 90 minutes twice against Denmark and Portugal [in the first match]. He was tired against Wales. That's why we had a heart-to-heart conversation yesterday. We went through all the possibilities there could be."

The discussion even touched upon the possibility of Haaland appearing only as a second-half substitute to maintain his freshness. "He could perhaps have played the last 45 minutes against Portugal. That was a discussion. But he has very bad vibes and feelings about that. He has experienced being put on in the League Cup and it hasn't been great. I am very satisfied that he managed to dig out 60 good minutes," he added.

Solbakken did not pull any punches when describing the intense schedule facing Norway, following a grueling stretch where the national team played four Nations League matches in just eleven days. Solbakken candidly acknowledged the difficulty of the situation, noting that while the team has no choice but to fulfill their scheduled fixtures, the physical toll is undeniable.

"It's tough. But we can't do anything about it. We just have to play the games we are called up for. It's tough. For those who play in the Champions League and have had little vacation, it's more brutal than for the others. Especially for the players who didn't get a vacation this summer because of the World Cup and that they came far. We did that," Solbakken said.

Norway currently sit at the bottom of their Nations League group, tied with Wales on three points after four matches. While the results have been disappointing, Solbakken remains optimistic about the tactical direction of the team. He believes that if he can get his best players fit and available, the performances seen in the World Cup will eventually translate into Nations League points during the final round of games. The focus now shifts to November, where fixtures against Wales and Denmark will decide Norway's fate in the competition.

"The points haul is too poor. But there is no nut to crack. It's just a matter of continuing as we have done for a while and which we have had great success with. We will get even more of that in the future if we have our best players with us," the manager insisted.