Manchester City striker Erling Haaland has been ruled out for up to seven weeks due to an ankle injury sustained during Sunday’s FA Cup quarter-final victory over Bournemouth, according to manager Pep Guardiola.
The Norwegian forward was substituted in the 61st minute after scoring the equalizer in a 2-1 win that saw City advance to the FA Cup semi-finals. A video shared on social media showed Haaland leaving Vitality Stadium on crutches, with his left ankle in a protective boot.
Guardiola confirmed that the doctors have predicted a recovery period of five to seven weeks, and he expressed hope that Haaland would be ready to return by the end of the season and ahead of the FIFA Club World Cup.
“Sometimes these things happen in football. It’s been a challenging season,” Guardiola commented. “We hope Haaland will be back for the final stretch of the campaign.”
Manchester City’s Plans for Haaland’s Recovery
City released a statement on Monday confirming that Haaland will consult with a specialist about his injury. The club expects him to be fit for the remainder of the season, including the upcoming FIFA Club World Cup.
Despite missing a penalty and squandering two significant chances on Sunday, Haaland scored a crucial goal to equalize before Omar Marmoush’s match-winner sealed City’s victory. Haaland has scored 30 goals and contributed four assists across all competitions this season.
Haaland’s Absence: What Matches Will He Miss?
If Haaland’s recovery takes five weeks, he will miss six matches, including the FA Cup semi-final against Nottingham Forest on 26 April. His return could be targeted for the Premier League clash with Southampton on 10 May.
If the injury sidelines him for seven weeks, Haaland may miss the FA Cup final on 17 May—should City advance past Forest—and he would aim to return in time for the final league match of the season at Fulham on 25 May. The upcoming FIFA Club World Cup will take place in June and July.
In addition to Haaland’s injury, Manchester City’s Premier League fixture against Aston Villa has been postponed due to their involvement in the FA Cup semi-finals, with a new date yet to be confirmed.
Manchester City’s Remaining Fixtures
(Include the upcoming fixtures for Manchester City, especially focusing on critical matches such as the FA Cup semi-final, Premier League, and Club World Cup.)
