Guardiola: Haaland doubtful for Club World Cup

Guardiola has expressed his uncertainty over Haaland's participation in the forthcoming match against Crystal Palace. The striker's inclusion in the matchday squad remains uncertain, and the coach has kept everyone in suspense about it.

Pep Guardiola talked about Erling Haaland's physical condition and Man City's upcoming game against Crystal Palace. (0:43)

On December 15, 2023 at 2:29 PM

It seems probable that Erling Haaland of Manchester City will not be able to play his second Premier League match in a row due to an injury in his foot this coming Saturday, according to Manager Pep Guardiola. The manager is hopeful that the striker will be able to join the rest of the team for the Club World Cup in Saudi Arabia.

Guardiola told the press on Friday before the arrival of Crystal Palace that he doesn't believe he will play on Saturday. He said that he may receive different information which could be surprising, but at that moment he doesn't anticipate anything new.

Watch LaLiga, Bundesliga, and other sports events on ESPN+ streaming service in the United States.

Haaland was absent from the 2-1 victory against Luton Town last Sunday due to a stress reaction, according to Guardiola. The footballer also didn't accompany the team to Belgrade for their 3-2 victory over Red Star in the Champions League on Wednesday.

When a person is under stress, their body may react by experiencing swelling and bruising in the bone. This can eventually lead to a more severe condition known as a stress fracture. Despite this, Guardiola has stated that he is not concerned about the well-being of the 23-year-old footballer who currently holds the record for the highest number of goals scored in the league this season.

The manager stated that the injury isn't a fracture but rather a case of stress. The duration of recovery depends on the player, sometimes it's shorter and other times longer. Therefore, it has been advised by the doctor to monitor the player's progress on a day-to-day and week-to-week basis. The player will be considered fit to play again when there are no symptoms and he doesn't feel any pain.

If City has to take a long break, it would greatly harm their chances of keeping their title. They achieved the treble last season, but at the moment they are only in fourth place in the league with 33 points after playing 16 games. They are currently four points behind the top team, Liverpool.

According to Guardiola, Haaland was given some medical attention outside of Manchester and came back on Friday.

Guardiola mentioned that he will take the patient to the medical practitioners for treatment, and they will assess his health condition. Then, we will ascertain how he feels after the check-up.

I'm optimistic that he will be able to journey to Saudi Arabia on Saturday, once the match is over. He plans to accompany us and then we'll assess if he can participate in the inaugural game or the subsequent one, or if he needs more time to recover once we return to Manchester.

On Tuesday, City will compete against Urawa Red Diamonds from Japan in the semifinals of the Club World Cup. The anticipated final match will take place on Friday.

Crystal Palace, who currently rank 15th with 16 points, are facing a concerning amount of injuries. They sit seven points ahead of the relegation zone.

On Saturday, there might be up to eight players absent from Roy Hodgson's team, but Guardiola believes that the visitors will still put up a tough fight.

He stated that their defense mechanisms are exceptional, making it a challenging match. He added that he can recall no instances of playing against a team coached by Roy Hodgson that was effortless. The game ahead was predicted to be an intense and arduous battle.

Palace brought on Hodgson, who's 76 years old, as their coach in the last season. When questioned if he saw himself coaching at a similar age as Hodgson, Guardiola replied with a negative.

"It's amazing to possess the intense flame and fervor within that allows us to persevere."

During a recent interview, Guardiola was questioned about the announcement that Rebecca Welch is set to make history as the Premier League's first female referee when Fulham face off against Burnley on December 23rd.

"That's a great suggestion and we appreciate it," the manager stated. "We hope to see more ideas like this from you in the future."