Sheffield United star set for Premier League refresher as club waits for comments on another
As Sheffield United prepare for their return to Premier League football, defender Anel Ahmedhodzic is set to undergo a refresher course in facing elite level talent when Bosnia and Herzegovina face Portugal tomorrow.
After helping Paul Heckingbottom’s side win promotion from the Championship, Ahmedhodzic’s attention has now turned to helping his country beat Cristiano Ronaldo and company in Lisbon tonight. Manchester City’s Bernardo Silva, Manchester United’s Bruno Fernandes and Joao Felix, who spent last season on loan at Chelsea from Atletico Madrid, are among those expected to start for the hosts with Ronaldo also likely to feature as Roberto Martinez’s men prepare for the toughest test of the Euro 2024 qualifying campaign so far.
Signed from Malmo, Ahmedhodzic has spoken of his confidence that United can establish themselves in the top-flight next term and given the make-up of Martinez’s squad, the Group J tie will help prepare him for the challenges to come. Journalists in Sarajevo believe the central defender is certain to feature in Faruk Hadzibegic’s first choice eleven together with Internazionale’s Edin Dzeko and former Roma, Juventus and Barcelona midfielder Miralem Pjanic.
Bosnia are currently ranked third, as they chase a first appearance in the finals of the competition while Portugal top the group following victories over Luxembourg and Lichtenstein.
Before the match in the Portuguese capital, Ahmedhodzic’s United team mate Sander Berge hopes to win his latest cap for Norway when they host Scotland in Oslo. The visitors, who controversially omitted Oli McBurnie from their plans for the trip, lead Group A while the Norwegian’s are fourth.
Head coach Stale Solbakken’s comments on Berge’s career development have angered United in the past, with Heckingbottom reminding the 55-year-old on several occasions that it is bad form to encourage him to move and also questioning where the player is deployed for his country.
But with United returning to the highest level of the English game, Solbakken is unlikely to raise the matter again following the meeting with Steve Clarke’s men.
Meanwhile, United’s George Baldock and John Egan are set to find themselves on opposite sides of the sporting divide tonight when Greece faced the Republic of Ireland in Athens.
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