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Manchester City confirms that defender Manuel Akanji has picked up a muscle injury that will rule him out of the upcoming weeks’ UEFA Champions League Round of 16 second-leg game against Real Madrid on February 19 at Santiago Bernabéu Stadium. The 29-year-old Swiss international will be sidelined for a number of weeks, also missing crucial Premier League matches against Newcastle United on February 15 and Liverpool on February 23.
Akanji was hurt in the first half of the first-leg clash with Real Madrid at the Etihad Stadium on February 11, which City lost 3-2. He was substituted at half-time, with Rico Lewis replacing him. Initial tests indicate Akanji will be out of contention for now.
Manager Pep Guardiola talked about the matter following the match, stating, “I don’t know yet, but if they have gone out for muscular reasons, maybe they will not be [fit for the second leg].”
The loss of Akanji is a significant worry for Guardiola, particularly at right-back. The recent loan of Kyle Walker to AC Milan has already reduced possibilities for the position. Alternatives for the spot would be Rico Lewis, already featuring in the role, or Matheus Nunes, who plays as a central midfielder and was employed in a right-back position in previous games. Also in consideration are newer signings, specifically Abdukodir Khusanov, although they hardly have experience working with the team.
The side’s defensive unit has been pushed further to the test by injury to some of its key players during the course of the season, including Nathan Aké, John Stones, and Rúben Dias. Josko Gvardiol is the only center-back not injured so far.
In addition to Akanji, midfielder Jack Grealish is also under doubt after experiencing a hamstring issue in the same match. The club is waiting for additional tests to determine the extent of his injury and likely recovery time.
Manchester City faces a challenging fixtures list ahead of them, including important games both domestically and in Europe. The club will release information on availability of players when more is known.
