Manchester City leading goalscorer Erling Haaland is a doubt for his side s FA Cup semi-final against Chelsea on Saturday, Pep Guardiola has revealed.
The Norwegian striker was surprisingly substituted before extra time of the Champions League quarter-final loss to Real Madrid on Wednesday. ended up losing 4-3 on penalties after the two sides drew 4-4 on aggregate.
Manager Guardiola revealed after the match that
Speaking on Friday, Guardiola confirmed the forward had suffered an injury but still gave little indication as to how serious.
Haaland is a doubt for Chelsea
said at a press conference: “We will see. It was a tough game, a lot of action, high intensity for both sides.
“Erling felt something, a muscular issue. That’s why he told me he could not continue.
“The (doctor) said he had a little bit of niggles, a little problem, we will see how his evolution is in the next hours.”
In a more positive update, Guardiola confirmed playmaker Kevin De Bruyne “feels well” having been taken off during extra time against Real for nothing more serious than exhaustion.
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Guardiola feels, given the schedule, it is understandable that players would be tired at this stage of the season.
He said: “It’s normal with the amount of games we are playing this season and the previous seasons and not much recovery, and extra time and high intensity.
“We put a lot of pressure in our game and that’s why the fatigue is there. They are human beings. They are not a machine. We are used to it.”
The agonising penalty shoot-out defeat by Real ended City’s hopes of winning the treble for a second season in succession.
Yet they remain on course to repeat the domestic double and Guardiola is determined to bounce back from the midweek heartache.
