Injured Haaland is a doubt for Man City’s FA Cup semi against Chelsea

MANCHESTER, England (AP) — Erling Haaland had to watch as Manchester City exited the Champions League after a shootout against Real Madrid this week. The striker could be watching again when City plays Chelsea in their FA Cup semifinal on Saturday.

Haaland has a muscle injury and will be assessed ahead of the game at Wembley, City manager Pep Guardiola said on Friday. The injury wasn’t elaborated on.

Guardiola said Haaland felt discomfort during Wednesday’s loss to Madrid and asked to be substituted. That robbed City of its leading scorer and one of its main penalty-takers in the shootout.

It has also placed uncertainty over what part he can play against Chelsea.

“It was a tough game, a lot of action, high intensity for both sides,” Guardiola told a news conference. “Erling felt something, a muscular issue. That’s why he told me he could not continue.

“The (doctor) said he had a little bit of niggles, a little problem, we will see how his evolution is in the next hours.”

The latest potential setback comes after Haaland was out for more than a month from December to January because of a foot injury. He did not look to be at his sharpest in either of the two games against Madrid.

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Kevin De Bruyne, who has also had injury problems this season, was also taken off against Madrid but is expected to be play against Chelsea, with Guardiola confirming the Belgium international “feels well.”

“We put a lot of pressure in our game and that’s why the fatigue is there. They are human beings. They are not a machine. We are used to it.”

Defeat against Madrid ended City’s pursuit of back-to-back trebles having won the English Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup last season.

City can still make history by becoming the first team to win the English title four years in succession. City leads the standings, and can also retain the FA Cup.

“I don’t want us to feel sorry for ourselves,” Guardiola said. “In football, you lose games. We performed at our best and we were not able to win. You have to accept it.”

City forward Jack Grealish is convinced it can be another memorable season for City.

“(The semifinal is) the perfect game for us to put it right,” Grealish said. “This year, if we win the Premier League and the FA Cup it would be a hugely successful season.

“People remember the good stuff. Unfortunately we got knocked out (of the Champions League) but if we can put on performances between now and the end of the season, we can end it successfully. A double is perfect.”

Grealish has known only success since his 100 million pounds ($139 million) move from Aston Villa in 2021 — winning the Premier League in his first season and the treble last year.

He has endured a more difficult campaign this term due to injury, a loss of form and loss of confidence.

“Sometimes if you’re not playing and probably not up to it in training, in your own head you just don’t feel confident,” he said. “At the start of the season I just didn’t feel like I was playing well really. I didn’t really feel that fit if I’m honest. Coming into the team, playing a game, then being out of the team, in and out, it was a little bit difficult but I feel good now.”

Someone who is playing with confidence is Chelsea’s Cole Palmer, who was sold by City at the start of the season and has gone on to become the league’s joint leading scorer with Haaland on 20.

He is likely to be the biggest threat to City hopes of defending the cup, and that is no surprise to former teammate Grealish.

“I was one person who always raved about Cole. I always said how good he was. I could see it every day in training,” Grealish said. “I’m happy that he’s gone on and he’s playing well and playing regularly. I think that was the reason why he left here because he wanted to play.”

The decision to sell appears to have backfired on City, but Guardiola said he had little choice.

“He was asking for two seasons to leave,” he said. “I said, ‘No, stay.’ What could we do?”

Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino has sought to ease rising expectations on his star player.

“We need to be careful. We have the experience to manage this type of thing, when a young kid becomes a big star,” Pochettino said. “He needs to learn from this experience that is completely different to the past.”

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James Robson is at https://twitter.com/jamesalanrobson

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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer