Solbakken calm on injured Benfica midfielder Aursnes with World Cup far off | OneFootball

Stale Solbakken has ruled Fredrik Aursnes out of Norway’s two March friendlies but says the Benfica midfielder should still be at the 2026 World Cup.

“We have good communication and I am not worried about him missing March,” said Solbakken. “There is a long time until the World Cup and Fredrik will have the chance to play several games and regain his form,” he told TV2.

Aursnes is expected to be available in four to five weeks, which would be after the April international break.

The setback is not expected to jeopardise his place at the finals. He should build rhythm when Benfica host Nacional on 12 April, aiming to be ready for the Sporting clash.

This season for Benfica, Aursnes, valued at €17 million, has played 43 matches, 22 in Liga Portugal Betclic, 14 in the Champions League, four in the Taça de Portugal, two in the Taça da Liga and one in the Supertaça. Across 3,635 minutes he has scored four goals and supplied seven assists.

Source: Glorioso 1904