According to a report by Swedish outlet Aftonbladet on May 12, Sweden’s star striker Viktor Gyökeres will miss the team’s two pre-World Cup friendlies due to a scheduling conflict, meaning he will be absent from crucial preparation ahead of the tournament. Sweden head coach Graham Potter confirmed the news while unveiling the World Cup squad, stating that Gyökeres will not feature in the matches scheduled in Stockholm and Oslo.
Sweden is set to begin pre-World Cup training in Stockholm on May 27, followed by a friendly against Norway in Oslo on June 1. However, just two days before that game, Gyökeres is required to play in the Champions League final in Budapest with Arsenal, making it impossible for him to join the national team camp on time. As a result, the forward will link up with the squad later than his teammates and miss the critical early phase of preparations.
Potter further confirmed: “He will not play in the first two matches in Oslo and Stockholm.”
According to Sweden’s overall schedule, they will play their final pre-World Cup friendly against Greece in Stockholm on June 4 before departing for the United States on June 6 to begin the World Cup. Sweden’s opening match is set for June 14 against Tunisia.