Man City and Croatia defender Gvardiol has broken leg and faces months out. Dias injured too
Advertisement
Read this article for free:
or
Already have an account? Log in here »
To continue reading, please subscribe:
Monthly Digital Subscription
$0 for the first 4 weeks*
- Enjoy unlimited reading on winnipegfreepress.com
- Read the E-Edition, our digital replica newspaper
- Access News Break, our award-winning app
- Play interactive puzzles
*No charge for 4 weeks then price increases to the regular rate of $19.95 plus GST every four weeks. Offer available to new and qualified returning subscribers only. Cancel any time.
Monthly Digital Subscription
$4.99/week*
- Enjoy unlimited reading on winnipegfreepress.com
- Read the E-Edition, our digital replica newspaper
- Access News Break, our award-winning app
- Play interactive puzzles
*Billed as $19.95 plus GST every four weeks. Cancel any time.
To continue reading, please subscribe:
Add Free Press access to your Brandon Sun subscription for only an additional
$1 for the first 4 weeks*
*Your next subscription payment will increase by $1.00 and you will be charged $16.99 plus GST for four weeks. After four weeks, your payment will increase to $23.99 plus GST every four weeks.
Read unlimited articles for free today:
or
Already have an account? Log in here »
MANCHESTER, England (AP) — Manchester City and Croatia defender Joško Gvardiol needs surgery this week for a fracture to his right leg and faces months out ahead of the World Cup.
Man City’s defense was weakened again on Tuesday when Portugal center back Rúben Dias was confirmed to be out for up to six weeks with a hamstring strain, coach Pep Guardiola said.
Speculation has circulated City could target signing Crystal Palace captain Marc Guéhi, the England center back whose projected move to Liverpool four months ago fell through in the final hours of transfer deadline day.
Gvardiol and Dias were injured on Sunday in a 1-1 draw at home to Chelsea that left the team trailing Premier League leader Arsenal by six points.
The 23-year-old Gvardiol “suffered a tibial fracture to his right leg,” City confirmed in a statement late Monday.
He will have surgery this week and City gave no timetable for his return.
Even without two key defenders, the 2023 European champion is well set to advance directly to the Champions League round of 16 in March. The club is fourth in the 36-team standings with two league-phase games left this month at Bodo/Glimt and hosting Galatasaray.
Croatia starts its World Cup group on June 17 against England at the Dallas Cowboys stadium. Croatia then plays Panama in Toronto and Ghana in Philadelphia.
Gvardiol is likely to miss Croatia’s visit to the United States in March for warmup games against Colombia and Brazil.
___
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer