Norway manager Ståle Solbakken has moved to ease concern over Erling Haaland after the forward was withdrawn early, framing the decision as the result of exhaustion rather than anything more serious. He pointed to what he called a relentless workload, saying it is all part of an increasingly punishing football calendar.

“There are many players who are really exhausted,” Solbakken explained. “[Sander] Berge and [Martin] Ødegaard are practically scraping rock bottom. Erling was digging deep for a long time. I think he took a real beating and served as an excellent target man. We were hoping for 60, and he managed 65. That’s a lot of positives.”

Going into the match against Portugal in Porto, Haaland already knew he might not complete the full game. There was some thought given to protecting him for the second half, but that plan was quickly ruled out.

“He put in a good 60 minutes today,” Solbakken reasoned. “He played two full 90-minute matches against Denmark and Portugal. He was tired against Wales. That’s why we had a heart-to-heart yesterday. We went through the various possibilities.

“He could perhaps have played the last 45 minutes against Portugal. That was a topic of discussion. But he has a really bad feeling about that kind of thing. He’s had experiences where he was brought on in the League Cup, and it didn’t go particularly well. I’m very pleased that he managed to dig deep and deliver a good 60 minutes.”

With Norway’s internationals complete and Manchester City not back in action until Sunday’s trip to Anfield, Haaland now has a brief break. Norwegian outlet Dagbladet reported that he travelled from Portugal to Málaga for some warm weather after the fixture.

Solbakken was blunt about the broader strain on players, especially those in the Champions League and those with limited rest after major summer tournaments. “It’s a grueling schedule,” he lamented. “For those playing in the Champions League who’ve had little time off, it’s more brutal than for the others. Especially for the players who didn’t get a summer break because of the World Cup and going deep into the tournament. We did that.

“Having so little vacation and then heading straight into high-intensity leagues—and then you have this international break on top of that—it’s not about making excuses. It’s just insane. Especially for the smaller nations.”

Haaland remains near the top of the minutes table despite the heavy load, sitting third on 2,789 minutes. He is, as the draft notes, a victim of his own success: too important to leave out, and now feeling the strain that comes with that demand.

Former Leeds United manager Jesse Marsch has reignited debate around Manchester City’s finances after questioning how the club secured Erling Haaland for $66 million (£52 million) in 2022.

Speaking to The Guardian, Marsch, now the Canada boss, did not hold back as he looked back on the controversy surrounding City. “I think Man City should be punished severely,” Marsch said. “I think they should have to go down, and by the way, everyone knew about it. Everyone knew.

“That summer [2022], us and Man City were the only teams that said we made money. For us, we did make money, because we sold Raphinha, we sold Kalvin Phillips. We had a lot left over from what we bought. At the time, we weren’t in a position financially to not save. Our ownership didn’t have deep pockets. Whereas when Man City says this, I was literally like, ‘Are you kidding me? Is this some kind of joke?’

“When they said they got Erling Haaland for £52 million, it’s like: ‘Yeah, O.K., sure!’ So, I knew there were inconsistencies in it, but what can you do? You just put your arms in the air and go, ‘This is football.’”

Haaland’s move stood out in a summer when Manchester United signed Antony in a deal worth $99 million (£85 million), Darwin Núñez joined Liverpool for a similar figure and Alexander Isak moved from Real Sociedad to Newcastle United for $71 million (£60 million).

The explanation, however, was straightforward. Haaland had a release clause in his contract at that value, and reports suggested it only became active in the summer of 2022. City moved swiftly to get ahead of the competition.

The striker had also been wanted by Chelsea 12 months earlier. Sky in Germany reported that a swap bid involving either Tammy Abraham or Callum Hudson-Odoi failed, while other reports claimed Chelsea were prepared to spend close to £135 million.

“That would be a lot of money for one player,” Haaland said at the time.

Dortmund had no legal requirement to sell him in 2021, but the following summer the release clause changed everything. “In the end, the truth is that we gave him a release clause, otherwise he would have gone to Manchester United,” former Dortmund executive Hans-Joachim Watzke said.

The official fee was £52 million, but that figure did not tell the full story.

Thomas Tuchel has acknowledged that the guilty verdict against Manchester City has spilled into England camp discussions during the international break.

The England manager said the situation is being talked about openly among his players, with uncertainty over possible punishments continuing to hang over the club. A range of sanctions has been suggested, some of which could have serious consequences for the team and the players who represent it.

Tuchel said the matter has naturally entered everyday conversation around the squad. “I think it is a distraction,” said Tuchel, whose England roster includes Marc Guéhi and Elliot Anderson after left back Nico O’Reilly withdrew from injury. “It is. Let’s say it is a subject. If it’s a distraction, I don’t know.

“It is of course a topic and we speak about it at dinner and at a table of eight or 12 people. We speak about it at breakfast. I know the Man City players get a lot of messages and phone calls and feedback about it.

“Are they worried or concerned? I think that would be a very human reaction if you don’t know what’s going on for the club that you signed. They’re still young. They’re ambitious. They’re told they are totally innocent and don’t know what’s going on. It is a subject.

“I am again not sure if it’s a distraction. I don’t see it when I see them in my meetings. I don’t see it how they behave with other teammates, and I don’t see it in training being a distraction. But it’s a topic. How can’t it be?”

City have appealed the verdict and continue to insist on their innocence. No timetable has been set for any punishment, and the next legal stage with the Premier League may yet shape what happens.

While the players themselves would not be directly punished, the wider effect could be significant. Expulsion from the Premier League would leave them in limbo, while a points deduction or relegation could alter both earnings and future careers.

The issue is also being discussed beyond England. Players are away with Argentina, France and Uzbekistan, while Wales midfielder Ethan Ampadu, of Leeds United, said the subject has reached that camp too. “Everyone has talked about it,” Ampadu said.