Roar stranded

By Ulf Inge Bjaaland

After playing in all 51 of Rosenborg BK's matches in the UEFA Champions League in eight successive seasons since 1995, Roar Strand was missing from the Norwegian team's lineup against Olympique Lyonnais on Matchday Two.

Leg injury
Strand suffered a leg injury in his side's draw against Internazionale FC last Tuesday, and after not being able to train was forced to accept that his astonishing run in the Rosenborg side would be broken tonight. "I did try on Monday, but there is no chance of me playing," the 32–year-old said before the match. "Of course I am disappointed – but to look on the bright side, I have been lucky to play so many Champions League matches in a row. Now I will watch the game on TV at home in Melhus."

Hoftun pays tribute
Before the Lyon game, Rosenborg captain Erik Hoftun admitted that Strand's absence was a blow. "I think he played very well against Inter," he said. "I know he is a bit down now, but he will be eager to return." Strand has suffered several injuries through the years, most notably an achilles problem that required surgery in May this year. Fortunately they have usually occurred in the spring and early summer, before the Champions League starts.

Landmark dates
Strand actually made his debut in Europe's premier club competition in the pre-Champions League era when, as a 19-year-old, he played six minutes for the Norwegians against KV Mechelen in September 1989. His 51-game Champions League streak began in Sepember 1995 in Warsaw, when he featured for the whole 90 minutes of Rosenborg's 3-1 defeat against Legia Warszawa. His first goal came in the return meeting between the sides in November, which Rosenborg won 4-0.

Key role
Strand played a key role when Rosenborg reached the quarter-finals of the competition in 1996/97 but his best season on a personal level came the following year when his four goals in six matches made him the top scorer in the group stages. That haul comprised a double in a 5-1 win over Olympiakos Piraeus FC, an 88th-minute equaliser in the 1-1 draw away to FC Porto and a diving header to put Rosenborg ahead in a memorable 2-0 win over Real Madrid CF.

International hopes
Originally a right-sided midfield player, Strand has been switched to right-back in recent times to cover a problem spot in the Rosenborg team - and that may well be where he finally finds a regular spot in the Norwegian national team. So far Strand's Champions League attendance record has not been replicated at national level. Indeed, despite playing 28 times for Norway, Strand has been in and out of the side since the 1994 FIFA World Cup. Once he is fit again, though, he may prove hard to displace.