Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola confirmed after the 4-2 defeat against Paris Saint-Germain that Ruben Dias was forced off at half-time due to a fitness problem.
Guardiola did not offer much detail on Dias’s latest setback, only saying that he “didn’t feel good”.
With a crucial game coming up against Chelsea this weekend, Dias is not expected to feature and fans on X have been left wondering why the defender has all of a sudden become injury-prone:
Has the team been cursed?
— Nanayaw Adonten (@adont_7) January 22, 2025
Sack our fitness coach
— Tega (@Tega88809231) January 22, 2025
This is what happens for using same few players for 4 good seasons.
— PAPER (@g_elorm) January 23, 2025
WE ARE FINISHED 🤦🏻♂️ What is our defence even gonna be now against Chelsea. I bet if Stones plays he’ll somehow get injured as always again
— Cyrus (@Cyru5kd7) January 22, 2025
Guys, what exactly is happening to City???!!!
— Liam Roger (@LiamRoger8) January 22, 2025
Injured???!!! Againnn??
— White (@White_pearllx) January 23, 2025
we need to seriously change our medical team
— jason Deb joy (@jason_deb_joy) January 22, 2025
The cycle continues
— Madeleine Leahy (Alty Manc) (@LeahyMadeleine) January 22, 2025
Dias has already had two spells out this season
The Portuguese international was originally sidelined with a calf issue back in November, missing four games as a result.
Dias then made his comeback at the beginning of December before being stuck down by another muscular injury in the build up to Christmas.
He returned to play the full 90 minutes against Ipswich Town last week only to suffer a setback in Paris.
City are playing too many games
Without knowing the details of this latest problem, it’s probably safe to assume that Dias was called back into action too early.
Unless he has been incredibly unlucky and sustained an unrelated injury, it is more likely that he has aggravated an issue by playing too many minutes. It remains to be seen when he will return to fitness.
Find out who is in Manchester City’s first-team squad for the 2024/2025 season here
