FC Copenhagen's Injury Woes Continue: Coach Laments Absence of Star Striker

Jacob Neestrup's frustration grows as FC Copenhagen's injury crisis deepens

FC Copenhagen's coach, Jacob Neestrup, is speaking out about the team's injury crisis, particularly the absence of star striker Andreas Cornelius.

“It is of course, not a sustainable situation. I am, of course, frustrated about that scenario...”

FC Copenhagen's coach, Jacob Neestrup, expressed his frustration during a press conference ahead of the Champions League match against Borussia Dortmund. Neestrup has been dealing with the absence of a prolific striker for three years, and the situation is taking a toll on the team.

Neestrup explained that the team has been playing with a “false 9” or alternative strikers, which provides tactical benefits but lacks physical presence. He emphasized the need for a natural striker to make the team more competitive.

The absence of Andreas Cornelius, a key player who has been plagued by injuries, has been particularly felt. Neestrup highlighted Cornelius's importance and praised Jordan Larsson, who has been filling the striker role. However, Neestrup believes Larsson is not a pure striker and is looking for someone who can provide that physical presence in the box.

Neestrup's frustration stems from the team's inability to find a consistent solution to this problem, and he hopes to find a way to address it soon. The team's upcoming match against Borussia Dortmund adds urgency to the situation, and Neestrup is eager to see his team perform well despite the challenges they are facing.

“It is of course, not a sustainable situation. I am, of course, frustrated about that scenario ... I am, after all, just like all of you, a person who loves and cares about football. Inside the box, there must be a number. 9.”

“I have to say, for many different reasons, that in the last three years, FC Copenhagen has played more with what we call a false 9 and alternative 9. That situation offers a lot of different benefits, but what it doesn't offer is physical presence,” said Neestrup.

Copenhagen's manager, Jacob Neestrup, openly expressed his frustration about not having the type of player he needs, his emotions evident in his words.

“At some point, the frustrations about it become so great that it can no longer continue like this. If you have kept it inside yourself for three years, even the coach now also needs to say that we need to have a big striker available every time we play football matches. It simply makes us more competitive.”

FC Copenhagen's coach, Jacob Neestrup, misses Andreas Cornelius, who has been plagued by injuries and is currently working to regain full fitness. Neestrup wishes he had Cornelius at his disposal, valuing the experienced striker's contributions to the team.

“The way he played in the playoffs for the Danish Superliga title, his performances in Europe, speak for themselves and show how important he is for FC Copenhagen. But of course, we know that we have had challenges in keeping him on the pitch for enough time, and that is a challenge.”

The absence of key players like Cornelius might pave the way for young talents like 17-year-old Viktor Dadason to shine. Dadason made a strong impression in the recent match against Silkeborg, and this could be his chance to seize the opportunity and prove himself.

“We have seen young players before being introduced and perform well even in these kinds of matches. What is important about Viktor is that he is a completely different type compared to (Mohammed) Elyounoussi, (Youssoufa) Moukoko, (Viktor) Claesson, and Jordan Larsson. He is the one who mostly resembles a pure box striker.”

“Therefore, I think we have an obligation to introduce him, because I believe that there is a possibility that he can give us the tool for the rest of 2025, where we can use his skills. He is a good and skilled player who has a great future at FC Copenhagen,” ended Neestrup.

Kampdagsquiz, sidste nyt, info m.m. om aftenens Champions League-kamp mod Borussia Dortmund #fcklive #UCL https://t.co/WwKnVKtLqy

— F.C. København (@FCKobenhavn) October 21, 2025

FC Copenhagen will face Borussia Dortmund at Parken Stadium, with kick-off scheduled for 19:00 UTC, equivalent to 20:00 CET or 10:00 PM Cairo and Mecca time.