Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola confirmed that Erling Haaland will miss Wednesday’s Champions League clash against Red Star Belgrade but added that he expects him to be back in training on Thursday.
Haaland, who is Man City’s top scorer with 19 goals in all competitions this season, missed the defending Premier League champions’ win over Luton Town on Sunday with a foot injury.
It was the first league game he had failed to start this season.
The injury had previously seen the 23-year-old pull out of Norway’s European Championship qualifier against Scotland in November.
“He will be back on Thursday, the day after tomorrow, and we will see how he feels,” Guardiola said in a news conference on Tuesday.
“I cannot answer [if he can play on Saturday]. I don’t know right now. At the next press conference, I can be more precise about his condition.”
With the top spot in their Champions League group already confirmed, Guardiola already has one eye on Saturday’s visit to Crystal Palace and the Club World Cup semifinal the following week.
“We are going to rotate some players. We have three days, travel five or six hours, three days, three days, a semifinal, three days, and a potential final. I’m very pleased that tomorrow I can play some players who haven’t played lately,” he said.