When Erling Haaland appeared to hobble off the field during Norway’s training session, it caused Manchester City to worry that he might be injured.
This week, as City’s players departed for the international break, it seems Pep Guardiola has already been dealt a significant blow.
Video footage shared on social media on Tuesday seemed to capture Haaland limping off the pitch while training with Norway.
Due to a stress injury in his foot, the prolific scorer missed 12 games in December and January.
He returned to action at the end of January but appeared to sustain another injury while training with his national team.
City’s first match after the international break is scheduled for March 31 against Arsenal in the Premier League.
In April, the reigning champions will face Aston Villa, Crystal Palace, Nottingham Forest, and Luton Town in league matches.
Additionally, they have quarterfinal fixtures against Real Madrid in the Champions League and a semi-final clash against Chelsea at Wembley in the FA Cup.
Guardiola’s side currently sits in third place in the league, trailing Liverpool by one point and leading Arsenal, who occupy the top spot.
It seems likely that Haaland will secure the Premier League Golden Boot for the second consecutive year, having scored 18 goals in 23 games this season.
Last season, the Norwegian sensation netted 36 goals in the Premier League, setting a new record for the most goals scored by a player in a single season.
Haaland has tallied 29 goals and provided six assists in 34 appearances across all competitions this season.
Norway’s upcoming fixtures include matches against the Czech Republic and Slovakia, in which Haaland is expected to feature.
When asked about Haaland’s potential involvement in the two friendly matches, Guardiola responded, “From now on, he is not my player anymore; whatever they decide will be fine.”
Aware of the effort and dedication required to reach this stage, both Haaland and Guardiola understand the importance of managing their energy wisely, especially in friendly matches. Guardiola expressed hope that they would approach these games intelligently.
