Stockholm (AFP) – Sweden coach Erik Hamren said Tuesday that Marcus Berg was the preferred option ahead of fellow striker John Guidetti to play alongside star Zlatan Ibrahimovic in Euro 2016.

Hamren opted to stick with the same list of 23 players he had already announced on May 11 for the tournament which starts in France on June 10.

“I find that it works well with the two (Berg and Guidetti), even if I see Marcus Berg being a little bit ahead at the moment,” Hamren told a press conference.

“Marcus was good at the end of the season in Greece and he scored.”

Panathinaikos striker Berg is expected to play in Sweden’s final warm-up game on Sunday against Wales. 

Guidetti failed to find the net in Monday’s 0-0 friendly draw against Slovenia in Malmo, for which Ibrahimovic was rested.

The only uncertainty concerns midfielder Albin Ekdal, who hurt his back in a fall in a nightclub earlier this month.

The Hamburg player will miss at least the first game against the Republic of Ireland on June 13, Hamren said.

Sweden will also take on Italy on June 17 and Belgium on June 22 in Group E at the tournament in France.

Squad:

Goalkeepers: Andreas Isaksson (Kasimpasa/TUR), Robin Olsen (FC Copenhagen/DEN), Patrik Carlgren (AIK)

Defenders: Ludwig Augustinsson (FC Copenhagen/DEN), Mikael Lustig (Celtic/SCO), Andreas Granqvist (Krasnodar/RUS), Erik Johansson (FC Copenhagen/DEN), Victor Nilsson Lindelof (Benfica/POR), Martin Olsson (Norwich/ENG), Pontus Jansson (Torino/ITA)

Midfielders: Jimmy Durmaz (Olympiakos/GRE), Albin Ekdal (Hamburg/GER), Emil Forsberg (RB Leipzig/GER), Oscar Hiljemark (Palermo/ITA), Kim Kallstrom (Grasshopper/SUI), Sebastian Larsson (Sunderland/ENG), Oscar Lewicki (Malmo), Pontus Wernbloom (CSKA Moscow/RUS), Erkan Zengin (Trabzonspor/TUR)

Strikers: Marcus Berg (Panathinaikos/GRE), John Guidetti (Celta Vigo/ESP), Emir Kujovic (Norrkoping), Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Paris SG/FRA).