“So far I am happy with the start for the season. I was not worried about competition. These are great guys and we have to do what is best for the team. My first season was not great with injuries but you get used to it after the second season. Maybe you get used to it a little bit for the team. There are so many games nowadays [to maintain rhythm] and training is very had. You have to show the manager what you can do.”
• On marking Haaland in training: “It is a good challenge. Training is a little bit different to the games, of course, but it is a good contest. He is difficult to mark and he can so so many things. For us as defenders, training is about knowing where he wants to get the ball and where we can play to him. He has got so many attriubutes.”
• On how close he was to leave for Chelsea: “In the end I’m happy to be here. Sometimes these things happen [transfer links and rumours] and in the end I’m very happy that I stayed.”
• “It’s game by game for us and they are very important for us. Myself and the team and the season. At the moment I’m very happy and we are in a good flow, but it is only the beginning. Every day you want to improve as a team and that is what we want to do right now.”
• On Haaland: “He has all the attributes. Sometimes you come up against strikers who have some great attributes, but has them all. He has left-foot, right-foot, he is strong and he has pace. It makes him very difficult. Everyone is in a very good place and he is getting a lot of press and importance, but he continues to work in training and demands from himself and it shows what kind of team we have.”
• On Copenhagen: “All the players know we have to focus on the next game because if you are not that is when things can happen. I expect Copenhagen to be tough. When they came to our place the atmosphere was very good and I expect it to be there again. It will be very difficult to play. We are ready for a challenge.”