Pep Guardiola said Erling Haaland could return to action against Burnley in the Premier League next week, as he revealed the Manchester City striker has been battling a foot fracture.
Haaland has not featured since City’s 1-0 Premier League defeat to Aston Villa in early December, missing their last nine games with what was initially described as a minor foot problem.
City have handled the Norwegian’s absence well, going unbeaten through those nine games to rise to second in the Premier League table while also winning the FIFA Club World Cup last month.
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While Haaland will not face Tottenham in the FA Cup fourth round on Friday, Guardiola outlined his hope that the striker could return for City’s next league fixture as he revealed the true nature of his injury.
“In the start we thought it was a bit less, but there was a little fracture on the bone,” Guardiola said. “When you have these kinds of injuries, it’s between six and eight weeks out – it’s not a lot.
PEP 💬 Tomorrow he [Erling Haaland] is still not ready but he is close. Some training sessions last two days. pic.twitter.com/D1IrLWSbKJ
— Manchester City (@ManCity) January 25, 2024
“The bone needs time to close and now he’s almost at the end of eight weeks, next weekend or next week.
“He feels good and now he needs time for the rhythm and to start to get the minutes, then he will be fit. In Abu Dhabi and here in the last week to 10 days, he didn’t feel anything which is a good sign.
“Coming back, after two or three sessions he felt a little bit of disturbance, that’s why we were cautious, but now he feels good and in three or four more days, hopefully against Burnley, he can play some minutes and after that, we will see.”
