Norwich's Teemu Pukki reveals Covid-19 positive; hopes not to make slow start to season

Teemu Pukki hopes spending 10 days away from training because of a positive test for Covid-19 will not affect the start of his Premier League return with Norwich City.

The 31-year-old scored 11 goals in his first Premier League season and then netted 26 times in the Championship last term to guide the Canaries back into the top flight at the first time of asking.

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Pukki spent the first part of the summer with Finland at Euro 2020, although their campaign ended at the group stage, but his extra preparation time for the 2021/22 season was then set back by a positive test for Covid-19 and a spell away from the squad in quarantine.

Norwich get their campaign under way, just as they did two years ago, with a Carrow Road date with Liverpool on Saturday evening.

Speaking to Finnish media outlet Viaplay, Pukki said: “My pre-season has been a little broken, as I missed 10 days of training due to contracting Covid.

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“I’m still working on finding my touch and learning to play with the new players in the team.”

Pukki got off to a quick start in his first Premier League campaign, an opening-day goal against Jurgen Klopp’s side being followed by a hat-trick against Newcastle and a fifth goal in their third outing at home to Chelsea.

But he is not aiming too high ahead of a season when Norwich will seek to retain their Premier League status and possibly not play in the attacking style which won them plaudits in 2019/20 but not enough points to stay up.

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He added: “I have never set a personal target on how many goals I should score. Last [Premier League] season I got 11 and if I can do better than that, I’d be happy.

“For me, it’s more important not to go for long runs without scoring and that I can help the team get enough points. That’s my main goal.

“Last time we ran out of fuel, and we couldn’t fight for our position in the league until the end. Last time in the Premier League, we perhaps attacked too aggressively and the opponents punished us heavily for it. “

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