Norway head coach Stale Solbakken has revealed he held a "frank conversation" with Erling Haaland about concerns over the striker's heavy workload, before the Nations League defeat to Portugal in which the Manchester City star asked to be taken off.
Haaland signalled to the Norway bench that he needed to come off and was substituted in the 67th minute of Sunday's 1-2 loss in Porto. He had earlier been seen limping on the pitch, fuelling concerns about his condition before he returns to Manchester City — a club under close scrutiny over a major Premier League financial scandal.
Speaking after the Portugal match, Solbakken did not say Haaland was injured, but referred to the heavy playing load the striker has shouldered after completing all three of Norway's opening Nations League fixtures — a win over Denmark and defeats to Portugal and Wales.
That follows a busy start to the season in England with Manchester City, after reaching the World Cup quarter-finals with Norway in the summer.
"He [Haaland] was tired in the Wales game. That's why we had a frank conversation yesterday. We looked at the options available," Solbakken was quoted as saying by Norwegian media.
"He could have played the last 45 minutes against Portugal. That was a discussion. But he had very bad feelings and thoughts about it… I'm very pleased that he tried to give a good 60 minutes."
Haaland did not score on Sunday or in Thursday's match against Wales — the two games Norway have played since the independent commission's verdict on Manchester City's finances was published. He had scored in the first two matches of this international window and has a record 65 goals in 59 appearances for his country.
Haaland is the only true centre-forward in the Manchester City squad, and his first game after the international break is Sunday's trip to Liverpool.
"He plays almost every game for his club," Solbakken said.
