Manchester City has been dealt a significant blow to their season ambitions as manager Pep Guardiola confirmed star striker Erling Haaland will be sidelined for up to seven weeks due to an ankle injury sustained during Sunday’s FA Cup quarterfinal victory over Bournemouth.
The 24-year-old Norwegian forward, who had just netted his 30th goal of the current campaign before being forced off the pitch, will now undergo specialist treatment for the injury that threatens to keep him out for most of the remaining season.
“The doctors told me between five and seven weeks,” Guardiola revealed during his press conference on Tuesday ahead of Manchester City’s Premier League fixture against Leicester City. “Hopefully for the end of season and FIFA Club World Cup he will be ready.”
This latest injury adds to Manchester City’s significant fitness concerns this season, most notably the long-term absence of Ballon d’Or winner Rodri. The defending Premier League champions now face the challenge of adapting their attacking strategy without their prolific goal scorer.
“Erling’s numbers again have been exceptional and he is an incredible threat for many things with long balls and his sense of goal, but we have to adjust,” Guardiola acknowledged. “We need players with other qualities and we have to bring more players close to the box… We will find a solution for the players that we have with different skills and qualities.”
A seven-week recovery timeline would rule Haaland out of most of City’s remaining Premier League fixtures. The FA Cup final, scheduled for May 17th, falls just one day short of seven weeks from when the injury occurred, leaving his participation uncertain. City’s final league match against Fulham is set for May 25th, while their first FIFA Club World Cup fixture in the United States is scheduled for June 18th.
Currently sitting fifth in the Premier League table, Manchester City is still well-positioned to secure Champions League qualification for next season, largely due to strong performances from English clubs in European competitions this year. The team has nine Premier League matches remaining, plus an FA Cup semi-final against Nottingham Forest in late April.
Despite the challenging circumstances, Guardiola remained measured about the team’s qualification prospects: “We had in the past much tougher than this one. When you have to win 16 or 17 games to win the Premier League, don’t tell me it’s not a tough one… This is the first time, along with the first season I was here nine years ago, that we have to fight to qualify for the Champions League.”