Josko Gvardiol issues positive update amid injury concern

10/31/2024 07:29 PM

Josko Gvardiol says his full focus is on Saturday, seeming to allay fears about an injury picked up on Wednesday night.

Manchester City were beaten 2-1 by Tottenham in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday evening, with Spurs progressing to take on Manchester United in the quarter-finals.

It was a frustrating night for Pep Guardiola, who saw Manuel Akanji withdraw in the warm-up and Savinho hobble off with an injury.

There was also concern for Gvardiol as he received treatment on the field after the final whistle, with City medical staff seemingly concerned.

Asked about how the defender was following the game, Guardiola was in the dark, saying: ‘I don’t know, I didn’t speak. Every time I went near the massage tables it was too busy, too crowded, so I don’t know.’

Gvardiol has since posted on social media and made no mention of struggling with injury, instead sounding like he will be ready to go when City go to Bournemouth this weekend.

‘Thanks for the support. We keep moving forward with full focus on Saturday!’ Gvardiol wrote.

Guardiola’s squad is extremely stretched, with Rodri and Oscar Bobb out with long-term injuries, while Kevin De Bruyne, Jack Grealish, Jeremy Doku and Kyle Walker are all also sidelined.

‘We have 13 players (available) so we are in real difficulty,’ Guardiola said after defeat at Spurs. ‘The guys that play, they finish most of them with problems and we’ll see how they recover.

‘Tomorrow we have two keepers and Erling Haaland for the training session, the rest, so we don’t have anything else.

‘I think when we are in trouble, like we are because in nine years it has never happened this situation with many, many injuries for many, many reasons, in these situations, the players they make a step forward and they are more together than ever and they will try to do this week in this short time to recover.

‘It’s only that how many players we have able. But we have the Academy and if the seniors cannot be there, we’ll do it. And we’re going to Bournemouth to compete.’

Of the injuries on Wednesday night, Akanji is expected to be available on Saturday but the severity of Savinho’s ‘knock’ is unclear and he may be out.