(Reuters) – Manchester City forward Erling Haaland will skip their Champions League clash with Sevilla on Wednesday as a precaution after the Norwegian did not play in Saturday’s 1-0 Premier League victory at Leicester City due to injury, manager Pep Guardiola said.
Haaland, who has 22 goals in all competitions this season, was substituted in the second half of City’s goalless Champions League draw at his former side Borussia Dortmund last Tuesday after sustaining a knock.
Guardiola said he would not take a risk with his leading goalscorer when they host Sevilla in Europe’s top-tier club competition as they have already qualified for the knockout stage.
“I don’t know,” Guardiola told the BBC, when asked about Haaland’s potential return date. “He has ligament damage. He feels better, we have one more week.
“He won’t play against Sevilla, because we have already qualified and hopefully against Fulham (on Saturday) he can help us. If not, he might play against Chelsea in the Carabao Cup (on Nov. 9).”
City lacked a cutting edge in the opening half at Leicester but a stunning free kick from Kevin De Bruyne sealed the win as the champions moved back to the top of the Premier League table.
(Reporting by Shrivathsa Sridhar in Bengaluru; Editing by Edmund Klamann)
