Sweden Boss Potter Has “Fingers Crossed” for Alexander Isak Return
Back in the autumn, following Liverpool’s big money signing of Alexander Isak but with the player not fully match fit following an acrimonious departure from Newcastle United that saw him miss pre-season as he pushed for the move, Sweden national team manager Jon Dahl Tomasson went out of his way to protect the player.
With Sweden then failing to secure a World Cup berth via UEFA qualification, Jon Dahl Tomasson lost his job. His replacement, Graham Potter, still has the chance to qualify them to next summer’s expanded 48-team World Cup via a playoff thanks to the country’s success in the Nations League. And there are questions as to whether he’ll be as careful with Isak’s health as Tomasson.
“Right now we’re just keeping our fingers crossed,” Potter said when asked by Swedish journalists about the possibility of a trio of key injured players including Liverpool striker Isak back in time face Ukraine in late March. “Hopefully we can get some of those guys back—but if not, we have to find a solution with the guys that are available.”
In addition to Isak, Potter and Sweden are without Dejan Kulusevski and Lucas Bergvall. Kulusevski is by all accounts ruled out through the qualification playoff period, but the end of March falls close to when Isak and Bergvall might be getting their first on-pitch minutes—though it’s hard to imagine either being match fit.
Sweden will play Ukraine on March 26th in a semi-final, with the winner then taking on the winner of Poland vs. Albania in the March 31 qualification final to secure one of those four nations a place at the 2026 World Cup in a group with Netherlands, Japan, and Tunisia.
Source: liverpooloffside.sbnation.com
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