Aston Villa defender Victor Lindelöf has been ruled out of Sweden’s World Cup qualifier against Switzerland due to discomfort, with Graham Potter confirming the experienced centre-back sat out Friday’s training session to work with physiotherapists.
The 31-year-old, who joined Aston Villa as a free agent from Manchester United on deadline day this summer, has struggled for game time under Unai Emery — and this latest setback comes as another frustration in what’s been a stop-start start to his Villa career.
Lindelöf misses Sweden training
According to SFotbollskanalen, Lindelöf did not take part in Sweden’s final training session before Saturday’s clash, instead spending time in the gym as a precaution. National team press officer Petra Thorén said staff were unsure whether he would be fit to play.
Potter later confirmed that the defender would miss the match, explaining that while the issue wasn’t serious, the coaching staff opted not to take any risks.
“He’s not injured,” Potter said. “He had a slight discomfort yesterday [Thursday], so we decided that it is better for him not to play tomorrow [Saturday], but hopefully he can play on Tuesday.”
That means Lindelöf will sit out the game against Switzerland but could return for Sweden’s clash with Slovenia on Tuesday, depending on how he responds to treatment over the weekend.
Limited impact at Aston Villa
Since arriving at Villa Park, Lindelöf has managed just 181 minutes across six matches, with only 21 of those minutes coming in the Premier League. Emery has so far preferred the defensive pairing of Pau Torres and Ezri Konsa, leaving the Swede to feature mainly in domestic cups and European rotation.
His lack of rhythm and match sharpness has made international minutes even more valuable, but the Swedish staff are keen to avoid aggravating the minor issue before he returns to club duty.
| Victor Lindelöf – 2025/26 Season | Stat |
|---|---|
| Appearances (All Competitions) | 6 |
| Minutes Played | 181 |
| Premier League Minutes | 21 |
| Goals | 0 |
| Assists | 0 |
| Last Appearance | 5 October 2025 |
source: Fotbollskanalen / Premier League Data – 15 November 2025
Our View: Minor concern, but timing is poor
In our view, this appears to be a minor issue for Lindelöf — more precaution than problem — but the timing is unfortunate. The defender has been hoping to impress both Potter and Emery after limited opportunities this season. Missing even one or two games could delay his momentum and reduce his chances of breaking into Villa’s first-team rotation post-break.
Still, Sweden’s careful handling suggests the discomfort should not sideline him long-term, and he could yet feature in Tuesday’s qualifier if progress continues.
Key Insights
- Victor Lindelöf ruled out of Sweden’s clash with Switzerland due to minor discomfort.
- The Aston Villa defender did not train Friday, instead working with physiotherapists.
- Graham Potter hopes he’ll return for the Slovenia match on Tuesday.
- Lindelöf has played just 181 minutes for Villa this season.
- The 31-year-old joined on a free transfer from Manchester United in the summer.
What’s Next
Sweden face Slovenia on Tuesday, and Lindelöf will be assessed before the game. If he recovers fully, he’s expected to return to Villa Park later in the week and be available for selection when Aston Villa resume their Premier League campaign on 23 November against Leeds United.
👉 Villa fans — do you think Lindelöf can still force his way into Emery’s plans, or will he remain a backup option this season?
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