Viktor Johansson has 'no regrets' after Stoke injury led to World Cup set-back

Viktor Johansson is keen to make up for time lost to last season’s shoulder injury, one that cost him his place in Sweden’s starting line-up for the World Cup.

After a couple of weeks off after the global jamboree in North America, the Stoke City goalkeeper is back in full training and hopeful of playing for the first time this pre-season.

The 27-year-old is currently away in Austria and looking forward to facing Sheffield Wednesday in a behind-closed-doors warm-up match on Saturday.

It will be his first action since the final day of last season – and just his second game of any description since suffering a dislocation against Sheffield United last December.

In one respect that cost the Swede his place in the starting line-up as Graham Potter’s men reached the last 32 at the World Cup.

Johansson insists he wouldn’t change anything but does want to get back into the swing of things.

“Incredible. It's the only word really I can say. It was an amazing experience,” Johansson said.

“I even think because of the time difference you had eight, nine, ten hours just with the boys, just with the team, so you got to know every single player, truly.

“And just everything around it, it felt massive. But at the same time you had your little own bubble and like I said, you really get to know your teammates.

“It was really hot sometimes, but we got on with it, you had to alter the training, before we went out to America we did some hot weather training, whether that was bikes in the sauna just to get used to it.

“But I think they dealt with everything, like during the match days the AC was on or we played really late, to make it a bit easier, so I can't complain. I just thought it was, it was unreal.

“I don't have any regrets. I got the injury from playing my game and being myself, so if anything I'm just happy I got back in time.

“That was the one goal I had was get back in time for potential playoffs with Stoke first and foremost, and then the World Cup second.

“So there's no regret having an injury that was caused by being who I am in goal. Listen, I've said from day one I give everything to Stoke.

“That's my one focus and I wasn't going to come for that cross if I was thinking about the World Cup, it's nothing like that. I'm just who I am and I'll give my everything wherever I am.

“Both Krip [Kristoffer Nordfeldt] and Jacob [Widell Zetterstom] did well in the World Cup, and I'll take a pride in that because we're a union like everyone says, and I'll always back whoever's playing and then. like always, I expect the same if I'm playing, so I think it goes both ways.”

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Johansson had a couple of weeks off after the World Cup and is now happy to be back with his club-mates.

“This is probably one of the first years in my career I felt like coming home. I missed it so much during offseason – and my family misses it.

“My wife wanted to come back to England even though we went to Austria, she wanted to be in England, and that tells a lot about the club, about how we feel and just how much we feel at home, which is a nice feeling.

“Coming in and seeing Svante [Ingelsson] here as well, who I've been playing with in previous years and, how he’s fitted into the group is unbelievable, so it's a really nice feeling to be back.

“I'm really hungry to play and to train and listen, I've been off since from January till the start of April, so I'm just happy to be back on the grass and hopefully good season ahead.

“It was painful not to be playing, but at the same time, I'm really happy for Tommy [Simkin], to get some game time and Gav [Bazunu] as well. But of course we want to play, every footballer wants to play.”