Last night saw Manchester City perish when faced with Real Madrid’s famous Champions League grit and mettle. Though Kevin De Bruyne scored in the second half to snap Rodrygo’s lead-gaining first-half goal, City succumbed in the penalties and blew their consecutive treble hopes. Manchester’s Mateo Kovacic and Bernardo Silva misfired from the spot, allowing Madrid to dominate and win the shootout. Aggravating the fall, the tough-fought match has physically taken a heavy toll on the best players in Pep Guardiola‘s batch. During the losing quarter-final tie, Erling Haaland, Kevin De Bruyne, Manuel Akanji, and Josko Gvardiol visibly experienced severe discomfort. With the growing injury woes, City’s FA Cup tie against Chelsea on the weekend is in jeopardy.
After the loss against Madrid, Pep Guardiola spoke to the press and detailed the physical woes his players experienced mid-game. “Manu [Akanji], Erling [Haaland] and Kevin [De Bruyne] asked me to go out. They couldn’t continue,” said Guardiola, as per Daily Mail’s Jack Gaughan. Erling Haaland was seen limping during the end of regular time and had Julian Alvarez replace him at extra time. The Spanish boss subbed off Kevin De Bruyne and Manuel Akanji in the 112th minute.
Pep Guardiola: "Manu [Akanji], Erling [Haaland] and Kevin [De Bruyne] asked me to go out. They couldn’t continue…" [via @Jack_Gaughan]
— City Xtra (@City_Xtra) April 17, 2024
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De Bruyne was seen holding his hamstring, implying he experienced pain around the area. The Belgian notably missed more than half of the ongoing season because of a previous hamstring problem and subsequent surgery. Meanwhile, Josko Gvardiol was holding his groin after experiencing discomfort. However, he completed the QF tie. Pep Guardiola and Co. have currently only bottled their treble hopes. But these injuries could threaten their chase of other silverware.
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Pep Guardiola takes an injured and battered team to face a fearsome Chelsea side
With no time to recuperate, Manchester City plays Chelsea in the decisive FA Cup semi-final on Friday at the Wembley Stadium. Pep Guardiola cannot settle for anything less than a win, as this is the last chance to claim a double or at least defend the FA Cup title. But, how far will the Spaniard go with a quadruple injury woe haunting the City locker room?
Besides, Chelsea has been in top form lately. Star midfielder Cole Palmer has been doing wonders for the London side, ousting Manchester United and Everton with hat-trick performances. Moreover, the Sky Blues have had a tough time facing the Londoners this season. Guardiola’s men had to settle for a draw two times they faced Mauricio Pochettino’s side. Meanwhile, Arsenal and Liverpool are closely contending with City for the Premier League title with a narrow two-point gap. If these injury woes persist, it won’t be beyond the Cityzens to fall from the top spot in England and end a season trophy-less.
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Will Man City’s injury woes affect their quest to win their fourth consecutive league title? Can the Sky Blues notch up the double at least this year? Let us know in the comments below