Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has confirmed that Erling Haaland sustained a knock in the 2-2 draw against Barcelona earlier this week.
The Norwegian international was withdrawn at half-time on Tuesday evening and, asked about the player’s fitness, Guardiola replied:
“Erling is not comfortable. We don’t want to take risks. But sooner or later he has to take a step with training and minutes. The season is there, around the corner. He has niggles, muscular, we don’t want to take a risk and lose him for three weeks or a month. That would be a problem.”
Fans on X are rather puzzled as to how Haaland has managed to pick up an injury despite having not even played a full 90 minutes since the end of last season:
Thats him out for 3 months again then.
— YouAreMayaHiga (@sub2pewdsONyt) July 31, 2024
Is he okay?
— Ruff (@RuffledSports0) July 31, 2024
How has he got niggles already? Before preseason starter he hasn’t played since May
— TRiXz (@TRiXz_2K) July 31, 2024
No vacations for Álvarez it seems
— Redux (@Redux40345377) July 31, 2024
Bro had niggles for 15 months
— Satra Wasserman (@satranews) July 31, 2024
Another season, back to injuries
— Ash Kun (@AshKun2003) July 31, 2024
Injurlaand
— St6 (@StewartMckay15) July 31, 2024
Will Haaland be fit to start the Community Shield?
From the sound of things, it doesn’t look like that the striker will be in the starting XI when the Cityzens take on Chelsea in Ohio this weekend. As Guardiola says, there is no point in taking a risk on his fitness.
With the Community Shield coming up against Manchester United in just ten days’ time, it remains to be seen whether Haaland will be ready for that game.
City don’t usually take the season curtain raiser too seriously, though, so supporters may have to wait until the first Premier League fixture to see him back in action.
