Updated at 16.42
VICTOR LINDELOF is available for Manchester United on Saturday even though he is “exhausted” following the fatal shooting of two Swedish fans before the country’s Euro 2024 qualifier against Belgium.
Monday’s attack in Brussels was carried out by an Islamist gunman who was subsequently killed by police.
The match went ahead as scheduled before being abandoned at the request of the two teams at half-time with the score at 1-1.
European football’s governing body Uefa on Thursday said the game would not be replayed and the points would be shared.
Sweden captain Lindelof expressed his horror and offered his condolences to the victims of the attack earlier this week.
“I’m shocked and devastated by the terrible incidents in Brussels with the cold-hearted attacks on our fellow Swedes,” Lindelof wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag told reporters on Friday that despite his ordeal, Lindelof “has energy” and is available to face Sheffield United on Saturday.
“A terrible situation and I feel really sad for the victims, for all the relatives, family, friends of the victims in Brussels,” he said. “It’s a crazy world.
“Of course Victor, they had a problem, it’s a bad experience. He was the captain of the Swedish team, so he had to stay in front and give statements. But he dealt well with it.
“Of course, he’s exhausted after this experience because also he didn’t sleep overnight. He returned, yesterday he was back in training, he dealt with the situation.”
Ten Hag swerved questions over potential investment into the club by British billionaire Jim Ratcliffe.
The founder of chemicals giant Ineos is reportedly looking to purchase a 25% stake.
“I’m not involved in this,” he said. “Others in the club are dealing with this.
“I am focusing on my team, I’m focusing on the coming block (of games), and I am focusing on the most important priority, the next game. It’s all about that.”
Meanwhile, Casemiro will miss Manchester United’s trip to Sheffield United on Saturday after sustaining a “small issue” while playing for Brazil, the club have said.
The midfielder was in action for his country in World Cup qualifiers against Venezuela last Friday and then Uruguay five days later.
In an update on players on United’s official website following a session at their training ground on Thursday, the club said: “Casemiro was absent, having remained in Brazil, on the club’s advice, to recover as swiftly as possible from a small issue picked up while playing for his country.
“He will be unavailable for Saturday’s game with the Blades but is expected back at Carrington early next week to resume training, although he is suspended for the Champions League encounter with FC Copenhagen at Old Trafford (on Tuesday), after being sent off in the defeat to Galatasaray.”
United also revealed Raphael Varane was working with the squad again after being absent for the 2-1 win over Brentford prior to the international break.
Fellow defender Jonny Evans, who picked up a knock while playing for Northern Ireland, was also involved on Thursday.
And the same applied to Sergio Reguilon and Sofyan Amrabat — Reguilon has been sidelined for United’s last four games, while Amrabat sat out Morocco’s matches against Liberia and Ivory Coast.
Luke Shaw, Tyrell Malacia, Lisandro Martinez and Aaron Wan-Bissaka are others who have been out of action due to injury, while Jadon Sancho has been training away from the first team “pending resolution of a squad discipline issue”.
United are 10th in the Premier League table after four wins and four defeats.
Additional reporting by AFP
