Manchester City striker Erling Haaland will be out for seven weeks due to an ankle injury he sustained during the FA Cup quarter-final against Bournemouth, according to manager Pep Guardiola.
The Norwegian player was taken off the field in the 61st minute after he scored the equalizer, helping City win the match 2-1 and advance to the semi-finals.
A video shared on social media shows the 24-year-old leaving the Vitality Stadium on crutches with his left ankle in a protective boot.
“They told me the doctors estimate it will take between five to seven weeks,” Guardiola said. “So we hope he will be ready by the end of the season and for the Club World Cup.”
“Sometimes, there are years when things like this happen, and this season has been one of those times.”
On Monday, City announced that Haaland would visit a specialist for his injury and expects him to be ready to play in the rest of the season, including this summer’s FIFA Club World Cup.
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On Sunday, Haaland missed a penalty and two big chances, but he managed to score from Nico O’Reilly’s cross to tie the game before Omar Marmoush scored the winning goal.
The FA Cup is City’s only hope for winning a trophy this season after a tough run in the Premier League and early exits from both the Champions League and Carabao Cup.
Manager Guardiola has had to handle injuries to important players all season long. His team currently sits fifth in the Premier League, just one point behind Chelsea in the battle for a Champions League spot.
If Haaland is out for five weeks, he will miss six games, including the FA Cup semi-final against Nottingham Forest on April 26.
This means he would try to come back for the Premier League match against Southampton on May 10.
If he is out for seven weeks, he might not be ready for the FA Cup final on May 17, assuming City wins against Forest.
Haaland would then work to be ready for the last league game of the season on May 25 at Fulham, before the Club World Cup takes place in June and July.
City’s Premier League match against Aston Villa has been delayed because of their participation in the FA Cup semi-final and has not been rescheduled yet.