Solbakken Says Odegaard’s Pain Easing With Arsenal Return in Sight

Overview

• Norway manager Stale Solbakken says Martin Odegaard now has less pain and hopes he will feature in one of Arsenal’s next games, with reports pointing to the FA Cup tie against Southampton after the international break.
• Arsenal chose not to use their captain in the recent League Cup final at Wembley to protect his long-term fitness during a busy run of Premier League, Champions League, and FA Cup matches.
• The midfielder has missed seven straight club games and 22 in total this season due to shoulder and knee problems from contact injuries, and Solbakken described him as frustrated by the layoff.
• Norway left him out of March friendlies, with Solbakken saying the World Cup this summer matters more than non-competitive matches as they aim to have him fully ready.
• Some in Norway, including Kjetil Rekdal, voiced concern about long-term wear from his early start in senior football, though Solbakken rejected that link and stressed this season’s issues came from knocks.