MANCHESTER, England : Manchester City will be without defender Manuel Akanji for eight to 10 weeks due to a muscle injury that will require surgery, manager Pep Guardiola said on Friday, in another blow to his injury-hit team.
The Switzerland centre back was replaced at halftime of City’s 3-2 Champions League defeat by Real Madrid at Etihad Stadium on Tuesday.
His injury layoff comes amid a tough stretch of games that includes Premier League matches against Newcastle United on Saturday and league leaders Liverpool on February 23, and the second leg of their Champions League playoff at Madrid on Wednesday.
“He will have surgery on Saturday and eight to 10 weeks out. It’s an adductor (groin) injury,” Guardiola said. “I just wish him a speedy recovery because the effort he has put in this season has been unbelievable.
“There has been a lack of players in that position and his body has said enough is enough.”
Newcastle’s visit to the Etihad could be a pivotal match, with both teams fighting for a top-four finish and a Champions League berth next season.
Guardiola’s men are fifth on 41 points after 24 games, two points behind fourth-placed Chelsea, while Eddie Howe’s side, winners of 12 of their last 14 games across all competitions, are level with City on points in sixth.
City suffered another late-game collapse against Real Madrid on Tuesday, conceding in the 86th and 92nd minutes to leave their Champions League campaign hanging by a thread.
“We’ve recovered and move forward,” Guardiola said, when asked how hard it is to continuously pick his team up after a poor performance. “The next hours and day after are difficult. But they have to be better.”
Newcastle have not got the better of City in a league game since a 2-1 win in 2019, although Guardiola said his team have taken “some steps backwards” recently.
Asked to pinpoint the team’s struggles, he said: “It’s not one subject, if it was then it would be easy to solve it.
“We have always been so comfortable with the ball and we are now not so. You then have to rely on a physical presence and our physicality is not like other teams.
“Every time that we get a result the mood is better in everyone, but this season has been like it has been and we have to try to get results more often.”
Guardiola is likely to be without Jack Grealish on Saturday, after he was forced off in their game against Real Madrid.
“Not as bad as Akanji,” he said. “I don’t know if he will be ready tomorrow, I don’t think he will be, but we will assess him in the next hours.”
