Manchester City’s star striker, Erling Haaland, faces uncertainty ahead of Saturday’s FA Cup semi-final clash against Chelsea due to a muscle injury.
Haaland requested to be substituted at the conclusion of the 90 minutes during Wednesday’s Champions League quarter-final match against Real Madrid, which City ultimately lost 4-3 on penalties following a 1-1 draw after extra time.
In a press conference on Friday, manager Pep Guardiola confirmed that Haaland had “felt something” during the match against Madrid, casting doubt on his availability for the FA Cup fixture against Chelsea and the subsequent league match against Brighton.
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Guardiola also provided an update on Kevin De Bruyne, who was also substituted during the game against Madrid.
“Kevin seems to be well,” Guardiola stated. “Erling felt some muscular discomfort. Kevin was exhausted and fatigued after five months out due to injury, which is normal.”
“We’ll assess the situation further tomorrow. Erling has some minor issues, and we’ll monitor his progress in the coming hours.”
Guardiola emphasized the toll of the demanding schedule on his players, acknowledging the fatigue resulting from numerous matches and the intensity of play.
“With the number of games we’ve played this season and in previous seasons, fatigue is normal,” Guardiola explained. “We don’t have much time for recovery, especially after playing extra time. We’re not machines; fatigue is inevitable.”