City Faces Injury Crisis as More Players Withdraw from Duty

Manchester City's injury issues have worsened as two additional players have pulled out of international duty, further complicating the challenges for Pep Guardiola's squad at a time when the break was expected to provide relief. The situation couldn't be more unfortunate, as City is already dealing with a significant number of injuries to important players.

The most recent blow includes in-form midfielder Matheus Nunes and key defender Manuel Akanji being added to the club's growing injury roster. Nunes, who has smoothly adapted to a winger position, has been declared unfit by the medical team of Portugal because of an injury he picked up in City's latest matches.

As a result, Bernardo Silva is now the only representative from Manchester City in the Portugal squad. In addition, Switzerland has announced that Akanji has withdrawn from their lineup due to an adductor injury, which is a setback for Guardiola, who had previously raised concerns regarding the player's physical fitness during training on Friday.

These recent injuries add to an already lengthy list. Key defenders John Stones, Ruben Dias, and Nathan Ake had previously withdrawn from their national teams, and City continues to engage in disputes with England regarding Jack Grealish’s fitness condition.

Guardiola suggested that Grealish, who was absent for City’s game against Brighton, could also be out of action, worsening City’s dispute with the English national team regarding the winger’s condition. Furthermore, the adaptable Rodri and emerging talent Oscar Bobb are still unavailable, while experienced players Kyle Walker and playmaker Kevin De Bruyne have not yet returned to full fitness following their recent injuries.

Pep Guardiola initially viewed the international break as a chance for his team to recover both mentally and physically. However, with the latest injuries, Manchester City now has just eight fully fit senior outfield players—this group includes Erling Haaland, Josko Gvardiol, Mateo Kovacic, Ilkay Gundogan, along with promising young players such as Rico Lewis, Savinho, and James McAtee. The reduced squad raises important concerns about how Guardiola will manage City’s demanding domestic and European fixtures when they resume play after the break.