Haaland to sit out Scotland clash due to foot injury

GLASGOW: Scotland will not face the firepower of Erling Haaland in Sunday´s Euro 2024 qualifier after the Manchester City striker was ruled out with a foot injury.

Haaland was hurt in Norway´s 2-0 win over the Faroe Islands on Thursday. The match at Hampden is a dead rubber with Scotland already assured of their place in Germany next year, while Norway face an anxious wait to see if they will drop into the playoffs via their Nations League ranking.

Haaland said he is focused on being back fit as soon as possible with City facing Liverpool in a top-of-the-table Premier League clash on Saturday.

“Unfortunately, I am missing tomorrow´s game against Scotland. Wishing the boys all the best. Now treatment and trying to get back asap,” Haaland, who has 17 goals in 18 games for City this season, posted on social media.

The Norwegian Football Federation said the injury is “not serious” but that the game in Glasgow comes too early for the 23-year-old. Scotland boss Steve Clarke said he had mixed feelings about not coming up against one of the world´s most feared strikers.

The outcome of the game will help determine whether Scotland are second or third seeds for the Euro 2024 draw on December 2. But Clarke said it was a shame for the Hampden crowd to miss out on seeing Haaland live. “For the crowd, it would have been great to see a player of Haaland´s standard,” he said.

“If it was a game that really meant something I´d probably be sitting here saying, ´yeah, delighted he´s not playing´. But for the game tomorrow, it would be better I think if he played.”