MANCHESTER, England — Pep Guardiola has performed down fears round Erling Haaland‘s health and hinted the Manchester Metropolis striker can be able to face Chelsea on Sunday.
Haaland was substituted at half-time in the 6-1 win over Bournemouth on Saturday due to an ankle downside and is a doubt to face Younger Boys within the Champions League on Tuesday. Metropolis have essential Premier League video games towards Chelsea and Liverpool both aspect of the worldwide break and Guardiola steered Haaland needs to be obtainable.
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“Yesterday [Sunday] he informed me he feels significantly better than on the day of the sport however I do not know,” Guardiola informed a information convention on Monday. “I’ll hearken to the medical doctors. If he says he’s prepared and doesn’t have ache I’ll think about him to play [against Young Boys].
“Proper now if Erling cannot play, Julián [Álvarez] will play there. Julian is kind of good! I like him arriving as a striker and he can play each so we’re actually happy.”
Victory over Younger Boys would assure Metropolis a spot within the knockout section of the Champions League for the eleventh straight season. The reigning champions of Europe have reached no less than the semifinals in every of the final three seasons, and Guardiola hailed the consistency of his crew over a interval which has seen each different main English membership miss out on the competitors altogether no less than as soon as.
“It is unimaginable,” he mentioned. “We need to have the prospect to complete earlier than February, for the following stage. It means loads coming after [Roberto] Mancini and [Manuel] Pellegrini [Guardiola’s predecessors at City.] Being there’s a success and each time we qualify is absolutely good. Hopefully we are able to end the job.”
Teenager Rico Lewis might begin for the third Champions League recreation in a row after impressing towards RB Leipzig and the away journey to Younger Boys. The 18-year-old made his thirtieth senior look towards Bournemouth however has admitted that when he was first introduced into the squad he felt in awe of the superstars within the dressing room.
“At first it is troublesome,” mentioned Lewis. “You get starstruck. From watching them on TV to being sat subsequent to them. You communicate to them and so they’re regular individuals. They’re good to me. It is a good transition from somebody watching on TV to somebody I can communicate to.”
