Croatian midfielder Mateo Kovacic, who returned with an injury from international duty, is expected to be sidelined for “three weeks to a month,” Manchester City coach Pep Guardiola announced on Friday.
The reigning four-time Premier League champions are grappling with injuries this season, and losing Kovacic is a significant blow, especially as he had recently stepped into a starting role during Rodri’s absence. Rodri, the defensive midfielder and 2024 Ballon d’Or winner, is severely injured and has already been ruled out for the remainder of the season.
At 30 years old, Kovacic played the entire match for Croatia in their 1-0 loss to Scotland in the Nations League and completed the first half against Portugal, which ended in a 1-1 draw, before being substituted.
During a press conference ahead of Saturday’s home match against Tottenham, Guardiola stated that Kovacic will be unavailable for “a while, three weeks to a month.”
As they approach the 12th matchday, Manchester City trails league leaders Liverpool by five points, with Liverpool scheduled to face bottom-placed Southampton on Sunday.
