Manchester City defender will also miss Premier League home games against Newcastle and Liverpool because of muscular injury, while Spanish side hope to have Antonio Rüdiger back.
Manchester City will be without Manuel Akanji for the second leg of their Champions League play-off against Real Madrid after the defender was ruled out for a few weeks with a muscular injury.
Akanji sustained the injury in the first half of the first leg at the Etihad Stadium on Tuesday, when City lost 3-2, leaving them with only an outside chance of reaching the last 16.
There has been no official announcement from the club regarding the severity of Akanji’s injury — nor that of Jack Grealish, who came off after half an hour with a hamstring problem — but The Times understands that initial scans have shown the centre back will be out for a few weeks.
City are certainly not expecting the 29-year-old Switzerland defender to return for any of their next three matches: Premier League home games against Newcastle United and Liverpool either side of the away match with Real at the Bernabéu on Wednesday.
Akanji started to feel the injury towards the end of the first half and was replaced by Rico Lewis at the start of the second half. When asked about the Akanji and Grealish injuries post-match, the City manager, Pep Guardiola, said: “I don’t know yet, but if they have gone out for muscular reasons, maybe they will not be [fit for the second leg].”
pisaekmou
46
Akanji absence cost city the match. because rico was a big dosaster in that match
Olilatonny95
36
imagine Madrid beating Man City with only one defender. no champions league was just meant for Madrid
Vipaempt
22
I'm a Madrid fan n Madrid have more injury than city trust me
MANCITYTHECHAMPIONS
11
Hahaha 🤣 City defence this season, they play one game they go injury for days or weeks , come back play another one game and again injury, it look like most of City players are not fully fit or recovered from injuries before returning to the field.