It has been two and a half months since Sweden's World Cup adventure ended against France in the round of 16 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
When Graham Potter presented his squad for the Nations League gathering, the injured Anthony Elanga, who was responsible for two goals at the World Cup and has had a flying start to the season at Newcastle, was missing.
“Quite complicated”
Also injured are World Cup goalkeeper Jacob Widell Zetterström and centre-back Isak Hien, who broke his leg during Sweden's World Cup match against Japan this summer.
Dejan Kulusevski has not played football for almost 500 days because of a knee injury. He has said he is back in full training with club team Tottenham, but it is too early for international games just yet.
"When you're in the final phase of your rehabilitation, that is, the return to play, it's actually quite complicated. He needs both training time and game time," Potter says, continuing:
He's been away for a while, but he's pretty close now.
The national team gathers next week to play four matches in 11 days. The blue and yellow team will start against Romania and Poland at home at the national arena in Solna, before away matches against Bosnia-Herzegovina and Romania await.
The World Cup gave us valuable experience, which showed what we do well but also what we need to develop.
Just like at the World Cup, Hugo Larsson and Williot Swedberg are both omitted from the squad. Larsson recently left Eintracht Frankfurt to play for Premier League club Fulham.
In Hugo's case, I chose to continue with the same players in midfield to get some continuity there and see how much we can develop, says Potter.
“The door is always open”
Regarding Swedberg, who plays for La Liga club Celta Vigo, Besfort Zeneli and Taha Ali are ahead, says Potter.
"They will certainly be disappointed not to be there, but they will accept the decision, fight on in their careers and continue to perform at their clubs. The door is always open," says the Englishman.
He also leaves out AIK's 37-year-old veteran goalkeeper Kristoffer Nordfeldt, who represented Sweden in the playoffs and in the World Cup opener this summer. Potter wants to test some younger talents and sees Viktor Johansson as the first goalkeeper in the squad. Also left out are goalkeepers Melker Ellborg and Noel Törnqvist.
Sweden plays in the B division together with Romania, Poland and Bosnia-Herzegovina.
The winner is moved up to the A division and fourth place is moved down to the C division.
For second and third place, promotion/relegation matches await in March 2027.
Sweden's matches:
September 25: Sweden–Romania 8:45 p.m. at Strawberry Arena in Solna.
September 28: Sweden–Poland 8:45 p.m. at Strawberry Arena in Solna.
October 2: Bosnia-Herzegovina-Sweden 20.45 at the Bilino Polje stadium in Zenica.
October 5: Romania–Sweden 8:45 p.m. at the National Arena in Bucharest.
November 14: Sweden–Bosnia-Herzegovina 8:45 p.m. at Strawberry Arena in Solna.
17 November: Poland–Sweden 20.45 at Tarczyński Arena in Wroclaw.
Source: Swedish Football Association.
Melker Ellborg, Sunderland, Viktor Johansson, Stoke, Noel Törnqvist, Monza.
Defenders: Hjalmar Ekdal, Burnley, Gabriel Gudmundsson, Leeds, Emil Holm, Bologna, Gustaf Lagerbielke, Braga, Victor Nilsson Lindelöf, Aston Villa, Hampus Skoglund, Hammarby, Carl Starfelt, Celta Vigo, Elliot Stroud, Hull, Daniel Svensson, Borussia Dortmund.
Midfielders/strikers: Taha Ali, Paok Thessaloniki, Yasin Ayari, Brighton, Lucas Bergvall, Tottenham, Alexander Bernhardsson, Wolfsburg, Jesper Karlström, Udinese, Gustaf Nilsson, Hertha Berlin, Benjamin Nygren, Celtic, Sebastian Nanasi, Strasbourg, Mattias Svanberg, Wolfsburg, Besfort Zeneli, Union Saint-Gilloise, Patrik Wålemark, Lech Poznan, Viktor Gyökeres, Arsenal, Alexander Isak, Liverpool,
