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Brann's European Hangover: 'A Great Mental Burden'
🇳🇴 Norway /Economy & Trade

Brann's European Hangover: 'A Great Mental Burden'

From Aftenposten · (1d ago) Norwegian Critical tone

Translated from Norwegian, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

TLDR

  • Norwegian football club Brann is struggling in the Eliteserien, suffering their fourth loss in five matches and sitting in 14th place.
  • Coach Freyr Alexandersson attributes the team's poor form to a "great mental burden" from playing continuously for 14 months, including a European campaign.
  • Players acknowledge the team's struggles, with some suggesting fatigue and others pointing to squad changes and internal disappointments as contributing factors.

The recent slump in form for SK Brann has left fans and pundits alike questioning the team's performance. After an extended period of continuous play, including a significant European campaign, the team appears to be suffering from what coach Freyr Alexandersson calls a "great mental burden." This sentiment is echoed by players who admit to feeling fatigued, both physically and mentally.

Det brenner på dass.

— Joachim SoltvedtA player's colorful description of the team's dire situation.

While the European journey was undoubtedly a highlight for many, its impact seems to be a lingering hangover. This phenomenon is not unique to Brann; other Norwegian clubs like Bodø/Glimt and Molde have experienced similar slow starts after deep European runs. Alexandersson acknowledges this pattern, noting that other clubs in Denmark and elsewhere have faced the same challenges.

Jeg tror alle skjønte hva jeg mente i alle fall.

— Joachim SoltvedtElaborating on his previous statement about the team's struggles.

However, not all players are willing to solely blame the European schedule. Captain Fredrik Pallesen Knudsen views the European experience as a fantastic journey and is hesitant to label the current situation as a "hangover." Instead, he suggests the team might be experiencing "heavy legs and heavy heads." Midfielder Felix Horn Myhre also deflects blame from Europe, urging the team to "take responsibility" for their own performance.

Det har vært travelt, det har vært nytt for oss. Det har vært stor mental belastning. For oss har det vært to sesonger som har gått i ett.

— Freyr AlexanderssonExplaining the impact of the continuous playing schedule.

Alexandersson also points to other factors, such as player transfers and injuries to key personnel, as contributing to the team's struggles. He admits that the club could have handled the situation surrounding players who were not sold better, acknowledging the disappointment some may have felt. This complex mix of factors – fatigue, mental strain, squad changes, and internal dynamics – paints a challenging picture for Brann as they aim to turn their season around.

Jeg syns vi har hatt litt tunge bein og tunge hoder. Så vi må bare sørge for at vi kommer oss ut av det.

— Fredrik Pallesen KnudsenDescribing the team's physical and mental state.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Aftenposten in Norwegian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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