Newcastle United and Aston Villa stars have fitness issues with national team ahead of World Cup

With Sweden set to start their World Cup campaign within days, there are some concerns about Aston Villa‘s Victor Lindelof and Newcastle United‘s Anthony Elanga.

Sweden didn’t make qualifying easy for themselves. At one point, missing out looked to be a near-certainty, as off-pitch chaos erupted.

Now, they have a tricky group to contend with. They have two dark horses in Japan and the Netherlands in their group, along with Tunisia, who also played in the 2018 edition of the tournament.

Aston Villa and Newcastle United stars Victor Lindelof and Anthony Elanga are not in full training, and whilst concerns are mild it’s still there.

Duo being monitored

Goteborgs-Posten report from Sweden’s training, noting how Lindelof and Elanga didn’t undergo a full session. They were only jogging lightly around the training ground at the end of the session.

The Aston Villa and Newcastle United stars have ‘minor ailments’ to contend with. This has put their involvement against Tunisia next week in doubt.

Manager Graham Potter is in no mood to take risks, as things stand. That is why the rest of the team shook off jet-lag during the session in Texas. They warmed up, had movement exercises and also had a session in the gym.

Lindelof and Elanga were missing from that too, with the team set to fly to Monterrey on Saturday. Their final training session will take place on Sunday, with the two players being closely monitored by the medical staff.

Absence could be a problem

Lindelof had quite a good first season with Aston Villa. Apart from playing in the backline, he did well in midfield, also winning the Europa League. He is also a key player for the national team, and has been captain more often than not in recent years.

Elanga didn’t have a great season at Newcastle United. But he offers the unpredictability which can make a big mark at an international tournament. His pace can be key on the breaks in a group where Sweden may not always dominate possession.

So it is easy to see why Potter isn’t keen on taking risks. There is no indication on when the duo can return but having them back will be a major boost.