Manchester City’s Norwegian international striker, Erling Haaland, is expected to be sidelined for “approximately five to seven weeks,” according to the latest estimates from the club’s medical staff, as stated by coach Pep Guardiola on Tuesday.
The 24-year-old forward suffered an ankle injury during a collision with a Bournemouth player in the FA Cup quarter-final on Sunday, where he netted his 30th goal of the season across all competitions.
“The doctors informed me it would take between five and seven weeks, so I hope he will be fit by the end of the season, especially in time for the Club World Cup,” Guardiola commented during a press conference regarding Haaland’s recovery timeline.
As per Tuesday’s estimate, Haaland could potentially return for the FA Cup final on May 17, provided his team advances past Nottingham Forest in the semi-finals at the end of April.
His prolonged absence poses a significant challenge for the reigning four-time Premier League champions, whose qualification for the next season’s Champions League is still uncertain. Currently, only the top four teams in the English Premier League qualify for the Champions League, and Manchester City is positioned fifth, just one point behind fourth-placed Chelsea.
In their next league match scheduled for Wednesday, Manchester City will host Leicester before heading to Old Trafford on Sunday to face Manchester United in the highly anticipated derby.
The final day of the league is set for Sunday, May 25, while the Club World Cup, featuring Manchester City, will take place in the United States from June 14 to July 13.
