Rotherham United's hope over Viktor Johansson after traumatic week for goalkeeper

Rotherham United goalkeeper Viktor Johansson who's gone through a troubled time with Sweden. Picture: Kerrie Beddows

The 25-year-old was on the Swedes' bench against Belgium in Brussels on Monday night when it emerged that two Swedish fans had been killed on their way to the stadium in a shooting described as a terrorist attack.

The game was abandoned at half-time and Johansson and his teammates were flown back to Sweden without their possessions and had to wait to have their passports returned.

He wasn't due back in England until the early hours of yesterday and Rotherham were planning to check on his mental well-being as much as his physical condition after a traumatic few days.

They are at home to high-flying Ipswich Town in the Championship this evening as long as Storm Babet doesn't intervene. The pitch at AESSEAL New York Stadium was fine this morning but the town has been put on a flood alert.

"We can all understand the effect the situation has had on the Swedish national team," said Johansson’s club manager, Matt Taylor, on Wednesday afternoon.

"It's been a difficult situation for Viktor and his family. I spoke to him on the phone yesterday. He was back in Sweden after a surreal course of events where the players were pretty much flown directly from the stadium back to Sweden without any of their belongings, including their passports and luggage.

"There's a host of emotions going through him which I'm sure he'll speak openly about when he's right to do so. The main thing is to get him back home safe, then we can give him the support he needs."

Promoted Ipswich arrive at New York in second spot and will go top if they pull off a tenth victory in 12 second-tier outings.

Their former Rotherham striker, Freddie Ladapo, misses the clash with an achilles injury but another Millers old boy, centre-forward George Hirst, is expected to be in their line-up.

"They've taken the league by storm," said Taylor whose team are in 23rd spot. "They're the leading scorers in the division thanks to their free-flowing, attacking football.

"It's been impressive to see their development as a group of players from League One going into the Championship.

"We have to stifle their rhythm and their flow, force them into a difficult game and make sure we pack a punch as well."