Pep Guardiola worried by Manchester City's growing injury list
Pep Guardiola admitted Manchester City's lengthening injury list is a concern as they prepare for a gruelling schedule of three away games in the space of eight days.
Yesterday morning's (Singapore time) 3-1 Champions League Group C win over Porto ended on a sour note as substitute Fernandinho limped off in the closing stages, with the veteran Brazilian expected to miss four to six weeks with a muscular problem.
Summer signing Nathan Ake was missing from the squad with what Guardiola described as a niggle in his groin.
Aymeric Laporte and Kevin de Bruyne were due back in training yesterday, but resources are stretched ahead of a week in which City will travel to West Ham United, Marseille and Sheffield United, before facing Olympiakos at home on Nov 3.
"On Thursday, we'll start with Kevin and Laporte training again, but I don't know how they'll come back," Guardiola said, after his side came from behind to win thanks to goals from Sergio Aguero, Ilkay Guendogan and Ferran Torres.
"We get players back and others we lose. In three days, we go to London (to play West Ham) and then to France to play Marseille (on Tuesday) and then Sheffield (on Saturday). It's so demanding."
Guendogan added: "We are struggling a little bit with injuries and to lose Fernandinho is another blow.
"There are others, plus some who have just come back, and I myself am not fully there yet after having Covid-19." - AFP
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