Blackstenius Appointed Captain as Rytting Kaneryd Faces Uncertainty Ahead of Sweden’s Qualifiers

Regular captain Kosovare Asllani is currently preparing for cruciate ligament surgery, while vice-captain Nathalie Bjorn is also sidelined due to injury.

Head coach Tony Gustavsson has appointed the 30-year-old Blackstenius as captain for the home matches against Denmark in Gothenburg on 14th April and Serbia in Solna just four days later.

“She’s a very experienced player who understands the significance of pivotal matches, and she consistently remains authentic both on and off the pitch,” Gustavsson remarked about Blackstenius.

This experience will certainly be put to the test as Sweden commenced their campaign with a narrow 1-0 victory against Italy, followed by a tough 0-0 draw in Serbia. Currently sitting second in Group A1, Sweden aims to secure vital points at home—especially against the current group leaders, Denmark—in their quest for the automatic qualifying berth.

Leadership within the national team doesn’t rest entirely on one individual. Gustavsson prefers to designate one leader on the field for each of the four key positions, simplifying the selection of the team captain.

“The player donning the armband in each match is the one who has accumulated the most international caps,” explained the coach. Blackstenius has achieved a notable total of 125 caps so far.

However, maintaining the fitness of key players presents its own challenges. Johanna Rytting Kaneryd has been called up to the squad but is currently unable to train due to a calf injury that kept her out of recent club matches with Chelsea.

“The information I’ve received indicates that her situation is day-to-day. As we approach the match, the medical team will update me, and we’ll have to decide whether to replace her in the squad or if she can at least be on the bench,” Gustavsson stated.

If the forward is unable to participate, Sweden will rely on just five players who have reached 50 or more caps as they head into these crucial qualifiers.