Pep Guardiola has stated that Erling Haaland will be out for up to seven weeks with his ankle injury but will be ready for Manchester City’s Club World Cup campaign.
In a considerable blow to City’s bid to qualify for the Champions League and claim the FA Cup, Haaland was forced off during Sunday’s Cup quarter-final at Bournemouth. Guardiola was asked how long City will be without their top scorer.
“Doctors told me five to seven weeks,” the manager said. “He’ll be back at the end of the season and for the Club World Cup will be ready.”
Guardiola’s team are in fifth on 48 points with nine matches left and face Nottingham Forest in the Cup semi-finals on 26 or 27 April. Should Haaland be missing for seven weeks, he would miss for the Cup final on 17 May if City get there but be back for the final league match at Fulham eight days later. City’s opening Club World Cup group game is on 18 June against the Moroccan club Wydad.
Haaland was replaced at Bournemouth by Omar Marmoush, who scored the winner in the 2-1 victory. Asked whether the Egyptian could replace Haaland as the No 9, Guardiola said: “We will find a solution … We don’t have another player with his [Haaland’s] skills or specific qualities. We have to adapt. We need players with other qualities and we have to bring more players with a sense of goal close to the box. That’s for sure. Because of course Erling’s numbers again have been exceptional and he is our incredible threat for many things, for the long balls, for the sense of goal.”
City host Leicester on Wednesday and a home fans’ protest is asking supporters not take their seats for the first nine minutes owing to unhappiness at rising ticket prices and last week’s announcement of a partnership with Viagogo, a ticket resale site.
Guardiola said: “Of course I have sympathy. When the fans can express good moments or bad moments or feelings, it’s because the team and the club is alive. So the worst is when you cannot express yourself. We need them, since minute one.
“The club has to take [decisions] for the benefit of the club. The club doesn’t take it for granted. And the people, you know, we listen to both sides and hopefully the people can be convinced.”
Haaland’s injury is the latest to hamper City in a season in which they have been plagued by them. Guardiola was reminded of José Mourinho’s claim that guiding Manchester United to second behind City’s 100-point title winners in 2017-18, 19 points adrift, was one of his finest achievements because of the challenges he faced.
Guardiola was asked whether he may reflect similarly if he guided City to a Champions League berth. “They don’t give me a bonus,” Guardiola joked. “Of course I would be [satisfied]. I understand when José said this quote and I understand the intention of your question. We want to play in the Champions League, you know that. But I know how difficult it is. Maybe we play [in the Champions League] next season. But this season has been so weird, so difficult. First of all, we didn’t have the players. That is the main target, the main reason.”
