Manuel Akanji ruled out for up to 10 weeks with surgery scheduled for Saturday confirms Pep Guardiola | OneFootball

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has confirmed that Manuel Akanji will be sidelined for up to 10 weeks with an injury.

The Swiss international defender has endured a complicated season to date with injury and fitness concerns throughout the most-part of the campaign, and despite briefly returning with some consistency, has sustained another blow.

Starting at the right-back position against Real Madrid on Tuesday night in the UEFA Champions League, Akanji inverted into the defensive midfield role alongside John Stones and Josko Gvardiol, but could only last until the half-time interval.

With the score at 1-0 to the hosts, Akanji was replaced after heavily limping off the field following an action inside his own penalty area, and saw Rico Lewis come on in his place to take on the right-back position for the remainder of a game that they would ultimately lose.

Reports across the days since Tuesday night have offered some insight into the severity of Akanji’s problem, with some suggesting that his entire season could now be over, while others suggest that there was only certainly over an absence for the next three games.

Now, speaking during his pre-match press conference ahead of Manchester City’s meeting with Newcastle United on Saturday afternoon, Pep Guardiola was asked for an update on the injury sustained by Manuel Akanji during the defeat to Real Madrid.

“Surgery on Saturday. Eight to ten weeks out,” Guardiola confirmed.

He continued, “Abductor, I think so, it was broken. Only we wish the best recovery for Manu, speedy, because the effort the effort that he has done this season has been unbelievable.

“Him and Nathan (Ake) as well played in difficult conditions; not being able to be top and to help the team in an emergency position that we had in a lack of players in that position. And at the end, the body said enough is enough.”

Manchester City’s injury and fitness situation appeared to be improving following the conclusion of the January transfer window, although issues have arisen once more at a crucial phase for the club.

After the meeting with Newcastle United in the Premier League on Saturday afternoon, City will then travel to the Spanish capital for their last-16 play-off second-leg tie with Real Madrid, knowing that they must win by a two-goal margin to progress.

Upon returning from Spain, Pep Guardiola and his players will then need to immediately refocus their attentions to another mammoth top-flight encounter, with Liverpool the visitors to the Etihad Stadium.