City face Haaland fitness call as Semenyo is ruled out for eight weeks

Haaland to be assessed before AEK Athens match

Manchester City face a decision over Erling Haaland’s availability for Tuesday’s Champions League game against AEK Athens after the striker sustained a foot injury in Saturday’s 3-2 win over Ipswich Town.

Haaland scored twice against Ipswich and has eight goals in the Premier League this season. City manager Enzo Maresca said the striker was “quite good” on Sunday and could be available, but that the club would assess him after training on Monday. City are looking to respond after losing 4-2 to Paris Saint-Germain in their previous European fixture.

Semenyo injury narrows City’s options

Antoine Semenyo has been ruled out for around eight weeks after suffering a knee injury against Ipswich. The forward had been one of the obvious options to cover for Haaland, and Maresca said City would have to consider other solutions if their leading striker cannot play.

“To replace Erling it’s always difficult but we have some different options,” Maresca said. “It also depends on the gameplan.” He added that Phil Foden could be a solution, having played in the position before, while Iliman Ndiaye is another possible choice. Maresca stressed, however, that Haaland remained the team’s number nine while fit.

Semenyo’s absence is a significant setback for City. He has made 10 appearances in all competitions this season, scoring twice and providing three assists, according to the BBC report. Maresca said the initial concern about the injury had eased after a scan, but confirmed the recovery could take eight weeks. Jeremy Doku, who started on the left against Ipswich, is expected to remain in that role.

Busy schedule adds to rotation challenge

City have a demanding run of fixtures, with seven matches scheduled across 21 days in October, and several players have also had international commitments. Haaland, Semenyo, Mateo Kovacic, Matheus Nunes and Nico O’Reilly were among those who appeared to leave the Ipswich match with discomfort. Maresca said the club were trying to manage the squad and keep players fit, while acknowledging that some injuries could not be controlled.