Soccer

Sweden name injury doubt Albin Ekdal in Euro 2016 squad

Hamburg midfielder suffered deep cut to his back in nightclub fall

Midfielder Albin Ekdal has been named in Sweden’s squad for Euro 2016 despite suffering a deep cut to his back in a nightclub fall. Photograph: Alexander Nemenov/AFP/Getty Images
Midfielder Albin Ekdal has been named in Sweden’s squad for Euro 2016 despite suffering a deep cut to his back in a nightclub fall. Photograph: Alexander Nemenov/AFP/Getty Images
Philip O’Connor in Stockholm
Wed May 11 2016 - 19:56

Sweden have included midfielder Albin Ekdal in their 23-man Euro 2016 squad but the midfielder faces a race against time to recover from a wound sustained in a nightclub fall at the weekend.

The 26-year-old Hamburg player was celebrating his side retaining their Bundesliga status for another year when he fell onto a table, sustaining a deep cut in his back which has thrown his chances of making the squad into doubt.

“First we’ll have to wait a week to see how the healing goes, then we’ll see after that,” Sweden coach Erik Hamren told a news conference after the squad was announced.

Sweden open their Euro 2016 Group E campaign against the Republic of Ireland at Stade de France on June 13th before meeting Italy and Belgium.

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“The doctors’ prognosis is positive. I’m going to stay in hospital for a couple more days to keep the situation under control,” Ekdal said in a statement.

Sweden’s captain and record goal-scorer Zlatan Ibrahimovic could be partnered in attack by Emir Kujovic, who was top scorer in the 2015 Allsvenskan as his unfancied IFK Norrkoping side won the Swedish title.

“I think we have a good mix, with a world-class player taking a big responsibility for the team, as Zlatan is doing, but also the team taking a big responsibility for Zlatan,” Hamren told reporters.

Celtic right back Mikael Lustig and Norwich City left back Martin Olsson are among the seven defenders named, while Sunderland winger Seb Larsson is also included in the squad,

Also included is Benfica defender Victor Nilsson Lindelof, who scored the winning penalty in the final of the Euro Under-21 Championship last year before making his debut for the senior side against Turkey in March.

Five other members of the victorious U21 side also made the cut: defender Ludwig Augustinsson, goalkeeper Patrik Carlgren, midfielders Oscar Lewicki and Oscar Hiljemark and striker John Guidetti.

GOALKEEPERS (3)
Patrik Carlgren (AIK, 18 caps)
Andreas Isaksson (Kasimpasa, Turkey; 128)
Robin Olsen (FC Copenhagen, Denmark; 3 caps)

DEFENDERS (7)
Ludwig Augustinsson (FC Copenhagen, Denmark; 3 caps)
Andreas Granqvist (FC Krasnodar, Russia; 50 caps)
Pontus Jansson (Torino, Italy; 7 caps)
Erik Johansson (FC Copenhagen, Denmark; 8 caps)
Mikael Lustig (Celtic, Scotland; 50 caps)
Victor Nilsson Lindelöf (Benfica, Portugal; 2 caps)
Martin Olsson (Norwich City, England; 34 caps)

MIDFIELDERS (9)
Jimmy Durmaz (Olympiakos, Greece; Caps 30)
Albin Ekdal (Hambuirg, Germany; 21 caps)
Emil Forsberg (Leipzig, Germany), 15 caps)
Oscar Hiljemark (Palermo, Italy; 9 caps)
Kim Källström (Grasshoppers Zürich, Switzerland; 127 caps)
Sebastian Larsson (Sunderland, England; 82 caps)
Oscar Lewicki (Malmo; 9 caps)
Pontus Wernbloom (CSKA Moscow, Russia; 50 caps)
Erkan Zengin (Trabzonspor, Turkey; 19 caps)

FORWARDS (4)
Marcus Berg (Panathinaikos, Greece; 37 caps)
John Guidetti (Celta Vigo, Spain, 7 caps)
Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Paris Saint-Germain, France; 112 caps)
Emir Kujovic (IFK Norrköping; 3 caps)