The Norwegian Football Federation had originally listed the 26-year-old forward as a primary participant for the media briefing ahead of their Nations League encounter with Portugal but following the news of City being found guilty, Haaland was pulled from the list of persons who would attend the press conference.

The Norwegian Football Federation confirmed that the schedule had been changed through media manager Morten Skjonsberg, who announced via TV 2 that manager Stale Solbakken alongside Fredrik Aursnes and Andreas Schjelderup would take the floor instead of the City striker.

Solbakken says that the decision to pull Haaland was his own and not something which Manchester City had urged him to do. 

"If there’s one thing I’ve never done in this group, it’s tell a white lie or lie in any way whatsoever. I always tell the truth. I haven’t spoken to City at all", said Solbakken on Monday's press conference.

"This was a decision I made without informing Erling. "You don't have to do this; if you want to go, you go, but as far as I'm concerned, you're excused. That is the only thing that has happened."

Norway lost 2-1 against Portugal in their first defeat in Oslo in nearly three years on Sunday and will face Wales in Cardiff on Thursday evening.