Sunderland goalkeeper Melker Ellborg is unhappy to miss out on the Europa League squad as he was hoping to feature in the competition this season.
Régis Le Bris has had a huge impact since he arrived at the Stadium of Light in 2024. He played the Black Cats secure a promotion, via the Championship play-off.
Last season, the manager guided Sunderland to a seventh-place finish, which also helped them qualify for the Europa League.
Explains Sunderland’s decision-making process
Régis Le Bris has left Melker Ellborg out of the squad for the group stage of the European competition.
The 23-year-old appeared as a guest on Fotbollskanalen‘s podcast, Lundh. When asked about his omission from the he said: “It’s sad news that came the other week.”
“We are a club with a lot of foreign players and this foreign quota that they have doesn’t suit us very well.”
“So, there was a rule that if the goalkeeper gets injured, you can replace that goalkeeper and put in another one, which doesn’t work with outfield players. That’s when they made that decision.”
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Robin Roefs has been the No.1 since joining the Premier League side from NEC Nijmegen last summer.
Ellborg joined the Black Cats in the winter market and played five matches in the second half of last season. This season, he made one appearance in Sunderland’s EFL Cup win over Hull City earlier this month.
On the backup role: “It’s nothing new. I’ve been in that position many times before. So, I know what it’s about and that you have to make the best of the situation.”
“Although it’s sad not to play every weekend, there are training weeks where you can develop even though you don’t play on the weekends. So, it’s really about making the best of the situation.”
Melker Ellborg wants to put the Europa League omission disappoint behind him quickly.
“No, absolutely [it’s still sad]. Those were [the] matches that I saw myself being able to be involved in and influence and play in. So, it’s clear that it was a sad decision,” Ellborg explained.
“Then I always try to get new perspectives on situations. Now, instead, I’ll be able to stay home during the week and train, working on the details I want to refine.”
