ERLING HAALAND has been left out of the Manchester City squad for their FA Cup semi-final this afternoon.
The treble winners take on Chelsea at Wembley as they look to bounce back from their European heartbreak on Wednesday night.
Haaland was substituted off before extra time as Man City were knocked out of the Champions League on penalties by Real Madrid earlier this week.
And there had been some doubts over his fitness after the game with Pep Guardiola explaining he had asked to be substituted during the match.
Speaking in his pre-match press conference for today’s Wembley clash, Guardiola said: “Erling felt something, a muscular issue and that’s why he said he could not continue.”
He added: “The doctor said it was a little bit niggles and we will see the evolution in the next hours.
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“The amount of games we are playing this season and the previous season and not much recovery and extra time and high intensity and the way we played, put a lot of pressure on our game.
“They are human beings, not machines. Sometimes the fatigue is there.”
Haaland has failed to live up to his own high goal-scoring standards this season after breaking the Premier League record for the most goals scored in a single campaign last term.
But despite being somewhat off the pace, he has still found the net more than any other City player this season and his absence will be a huge blow for Guardiola and Co.
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The striker has netted 31 goals and registered six assists in all competitions this season, some nine goals more than their second highest scorer Phil Foden.
It’s Julian Alvarez that takes Haaland’s place in the starting lineup with the World Cup winner making his 48th appearance of the season.
City will be hoping a spot in a second consecutive FA Cup final will help go some way to mending the wounds of Wednesday’s heartache and put them back on track for their final push in the Premier League too.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
