Brann face significant injury concerns heading into this weekend's home match against Lillestrøm SK. This is reported by BA ahead of the Saturday fixture at Brann Stadion. ba.no first reported the story.
Newcomer Neraysho Kasanwirjo is a confirmed absence. The defender, who just made his debut against Sandefjord last weekend, missed training on Thursday and Friday. Coach Eirik Horneland said of the situation: "I expect we will have to manage without him." This is a blow for a defence already missing Camil Jebara, who is currently sidelined with injury.
Who is returning from injury?
Some positive news came from Tuesday's training session. Noah Holm, who was injured in the Sandefjord match, returned to training. Niklas Jensen Wassberg also participated. Wassberg, who did not play against Sandefjord, is recovering from a knock. He is in the match squad for Lillestrøm. Sævar Atli Magnússon is also back in the squad after being out. Both returns are important for Horneland's options.
What about the Icelandic injuries?
Two Icelandic players picked up injuries during the warm-up before the Sandefjord match. Eggert Gudmundsson is not expected back before the away match against Start on September 13. His compatriot, Kristall Ingason, is listed as "uncertain" for the Lillestrøm match by Horneland. These absences, combined with Jebara's ongoing injury, test Brann's midfield depth. Brann's current squad shows several gaps in this area.
When is Jonas Torsvik returning?
Another player on the comeback trail is Jonas Torsvik. He is expected to start training in about a week and a half. But competition for playing time will likely only become relevant for the match against Viking in October, after the international break. This means Horneland must find solutions with available players for the upcoming matches, which you can track on our fixtures page.
How does this affect the lineup?
With three new injuries from the Sandefjord match, Horneland must reconsider his choices. The return of Magnússon and Wassberg provides some flexibility. But the absence of Kasanwirjo, Gudmundsson, and the uncertain Ingason, along with Jebara's unavailability, creates challenges. The team held a meeting before Saturday's match after the week's first training to discuss the situation. Brann's position in the standings could be affected by the result against a Lillestrøm side looking to exploit weaknesses. The match is at Brann Stadion on Saturday.
