Pep Guardiola opens up on Jack Grealish and Manuel Akanji injury setbacks in Real Madrid defeat | OneFootball

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has issued an initial comment on the latest injury setbacks suffered by Jack Grealish and Manuel Akanji.

The Treble-winning duo of 2023 have played an integral role in Manchester City’s most-recent successes but have since found themselves battling a whole host of injury problems, thus forcing them in and out of Guardiola’s line-ups.

The ongoing campaign has been the strongest reflection of those problems, and despite returning to training and matchday action over the last few matches, fresh injuries were endured on Tuesday night.

Moments after playing a vital role in Manchester City’s opening goal against Real Madrid, Grealish was forced straight down the tunnel with what appeared to be a groin issue, while Akanji would only make it to the half-time interval after suffering a muscular problem.

Speaking in the aftermath of Manchester City’s dramatic loss to Real Madrid on Tuesday night, Pep Guardiola was quizzed during media activity as to whether there is any frustration over the latest setback sustained by Jack Grealish.

“Yeah, but it’s all season,” Guardiola said in response, referring to the season-long problems suffered by Grealish hampering his campaign as a result.

He continued, “He has been well, and after he came back, but we know it.”

On whether the England international or Manuel Akanji could make the second-leg against Los Blancos at the Santiago Bernabeu next week, the Manchester City boss admitted, “I don’t know yet, but if they have gone out for muscular reasons, maybe they will not be there.”

Follow-up reporting on the situation concerning Manuel Akanji has since revealed that the Swiss international will be ruled out of next week’s return-leg in the Spanish capital, further depleting Pep Guardiola’s defensive options.

It remains to be seen who Guardiola will turn to for the right-back role in a hugely challenging task with the likes of Vinicius Jr and Kylian Mbappe to contend with for whoever is handed the opportunity at the Santiago Bernabeu.

On Tuesday night, Rico Lewis was brought on in Akanji’s place and had a mixed run against the aforementioned Brazilian winger, while the likes of John Stones, Matheus Nunes, and Abdukodir Khusanov could yet be considered.