Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has provided an injury update on new signing Nico Gonzalez following the midfielder’s premature exit during his debut against Leyton Orient in the FA Cup. The 23-year-old, who joined City from Porto in a £50 million transfer on deadline day, was forced off after just 21 minutes due to a strong challenge that left him struggling to continue. Despite the setback, Guardiola remains hopeful that Gonzalez will recover in time to feature against Real Madrid in the Champions League.
Gonzalez’s arrival was seen as a crucial reinforcement for City’s midfield, particularly given their struggles this season when Rodri has been absent. The Spanish international’s influence has been sorely missed whenever he has not been available, and City have lacked control in key games. With the knockout stages of the Champions League approaching, Guardiola wasted no time in integrating Gonzalez into the squad, naming him in the lineup for the FA Cup fixture against Leyton Orient.
The young midfielder made an encouraging start, showing glimpses of his quality in the early exchanges. However, his debut took an unfortunate turn when he was dispossessed, allowing Jamie Donley to capitalize and score an impressive goal for the League One side. Shortly after, Gonzalez appeared to struggle with the effects of a forceful challenge. Despite attempting to shake off the discomfort, he was ultimately unable to continue and had to be substituted just over 20 minutes into his first appearance for City.
His early withdrawal raised concerns about his availability for the upcoming Champions League clash with Real Madrid at the Etihad Stadium on Tuesday. With City already dealing with multiple injury issues this season, they are wary of taking any unnecessary risks with their players. Guardiola and his staff will conduct further assessments to determine the severity of Gonzalez’s injury before making a final decision on his inclusion in the squad for the crucial European tie.
Speaking after the FA Cup match, Guardiola remained cautiously optimistic about Gonzalez’s condition. He clarified that the injury was the result of a strong impact rather than a muscular issue, which offers some hope that the midfielder’s recovery could be swift. The City boss acknowledged the concern surrounding the player’s fitness but emphasized that the team would wait and see how he responds over the next few days before making a call on his availability.
“I hope so, but I don’t know,” Guardiola said when asked whether Gonzalez would be fit for the Real Madrid match. “The kick was strong in this area, but we have three days, and we will see.”
Manchester City’s season has been significantly affected by injuries, with key players missing various stages of the campaign. The addition of Gonzalez was meant to bolster their midfield options, particularly in high-stakes matches like the one against Madrid. His potential absence would be a blow for Guardiola, who is aiming to secure a strong result in the first leg before traveling to Spain for the return fixture.
With three days left before the Champions League encounter, all eyes will be on Gonzalez’s recovery. City’s medical team will continue to monitor his progress, and Guardiola will be hoping that his new signing can shake off the knock in time to make an impact in one of the biggest matches of the season.
