Man City Dealt Huge Injury Blow as Midfielder Kovacic Faces Setback

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Kovacic Faces Fresh Injury Blow as City’s Injury Crisis Deepens
Manchester, England — Manchester City’s injury woes have worsened as midfielder Mateo Kovacic has been sidelined again due to an ongoing ankle issue. The Croatian international, who has yet to start a match for City this season, underwent Achilles surgery in the summer and missed pre-season, including the Club World Cup.

Kovacic made his return to action in September but has only played 50 minutes, coming off the bench against Everton and Villarreal. However, he has now dropped out of the squad once more, with manager Pep Guardiola confirming after the recent match that Kovacic will be unavailable for the foreseeable future.

“He will be out for a while,” Guardiola said. “He still has a problem with the ankle, a little calcification still there. We’ll wait for him for the final part of the season.”

Pressure on City’s Midfield

The injury to Kovacic puts added pressure on other midfielders such as Nico González and Rodri to stay fit and perform in the holding midfield role. City will need their key players to maintain form as they continue their push for the Premier League title.

Despite Kovacic’s absence, City earned a 3-1 victory over Bournemouth, lifting them to second in the Premier League table and cutting the gap to Arsenal to six points. Guardiola expressed optimism about his team’s progress, even though they remain behind leaders Arsenal.

“We’re getting better and better,” Guardiola said after the Bournemouth win. “It’s just 10 games into the season, and there are still 28 games left.”