Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has given the latest update on star striker Erling Haaland ahead of the Premier League champions locking horns with La Liga outfit Sevilla during their final group stage fixture in the Champions League on Wednesday.
City currently top Group G and needs just a point at the Etihad to guarantee to finish ahead of Borussia Dortmund, but Haaland will be unfit for service after coming off at half-time against his former employers in their midweek 0-0 draw at Signal Iduna Park which saw him fail to make the matchday squad this weekend in the 1-0 away win at Leicester City.
Pep Guardiola on @ErlingHaaland’s injury: “He has ligament damage. He feels better, we have one more week. He won’t play vs Sevilla because we’ve already qualified and hopefully against Fulham he can help. If not he might play against Chelsea in the Carabao Cup.” [via @BBCSport]
— City Xtra (@City_Xtra) October 29, 2022
What was first seen as a precautionary removal in Germany has now been classified as minor ligament damage, but he is still being kept in bubble wrap as City look to navigate their clash with the aforementioned Sevilla, but Guardiola may also choose to leave him out against Fulham next weekend and instead potentially utilize him against league rivals Chelsea in the Carabao Cup.
The 22-year-old Norwegian goal machine has enjoyed a superb start to life in the Premier League since his arrival from the Ruhr valley and following in his father’s footsteps, having already found the back of the net on twenty-two occasions across sixteen appearances in all competitions thus far in the 2022-23 season.
But his absence was felt earlier today after City needed to tap into a bit of set-piece magic from Belgian maestro Kevin De Bruyne, whose magnificently struck free-kick was the sole difference maker on the day for the league champions.
Argentine talent Julián Álvarez got the nod to lead the line in Haaland’s stead but failed to register a single shot across his 77-minutes of action at the King Power Stadium before being replaced by Phil Foden, and he no doubt will be left frustrated by his inability to take a key chance as the main man upfront in Haaland’s absence.
