Sweden Alters Training Routine Ahead of Kosovo Rematch at Ullevi
Gothenburg, Sweden – The Swedish national team will forgo a pre-match training session at Ullevi Stadium before Tuesday’s crucial World Cup qualifying return against Kosovo, continuing a recent shift in protocol. This decision, mirroring choices made during previous away matches against Slovenia and Kosovo in the last qualifying cycle, and adopted by Switzerland before their friday match, prioritizes player recovery, logistics, and a degree of tactical secrecy.
The change in routine stems from concerns about opponents perhaps gathering intelligence during training sessions. National team manager Stefan Pettersson explained the broader rationale: “It is indeed as we have chosen this routine for slightly different reasons: the players’ physics, treatments, logistics and everything else.” Previously, Sweden routinely trained in the match arena the day before away games, a practice now largely abandoned.
Midfielder Albin Salétros echoed concerns about potential surveillance,stating,”It is balances if you train in the opponent’s arena,if they have any cameras and check tactically and such things.” Coach Jon Dahl Tomasson previously voiced similar concerns regarding “spies” observing training sessions.
Despite the altered planning, Sweden currently sits last in the qualifying group with only one point from three matches, raising the stakes for Tuesday’s contest. the team trained at their national arena instead. Photo credit: Pontus Orre.
