PEP GUARDIOLA has confirmed Raheem Sterling is set to miss a few weeks with a hamstring problem.
Sunsport revealed on Tuesday that the Manchester City ace faces a battle to be fit for the Champions League showdown with Real Madrid.
Manchester City are sweating on Raheem Sterling’s fitness after he limped off against TottenhamCredit: AFP or licensors
He was injured late on in the 2-0 defeat to Tottenham last weekend and had scans the following day.
Sterling will definitely miss Sunday’s clash with West Ham and City hope he will respond to treatment in their two-week winter break.
The trip to the Bernabeu is less than three weeks away now – and Guardiola is reluctant to put any timescale on his return.
Pep said: “It’s a hamstring and we will see. It takes weeks.
“But we’ll see if he can play at Leicester, Madrid and the rest of the games.”
We’ll see if he can play at Leicester, Madrid and the rest of the games
Pep Guardiola on Raheem Sterling
Guardiola said he did not know at this stage whether the absence could become months rather than weeks.
He added: “It’s a problem, but it’s a problem we had with Ilkay Gundogan in the first season here.
“And we had Aymeric Laporte this season for four or five months. It’s what it is.
“It’s a problem with this kind of season, particularly for the players.”
Guardiola says there is no chance of rushing Leroy Sane back from his cruciate injury to cover.
The German is back in full training after missing the whole season so far with his knee problem.
Guardiola said: “He needs to recover his tempo, rythmn, confidence,
“I don’t think about the injury, he needs time, its not like ankle or muscular.
“He needs weeks. What’s important is that he’s recovered well, he’ll come back stronger than before but now he needs time.”
Pep Guardiola doesn’t appear from dressing room for 45 minutes but claims Manchester City ‘played well’ in defeat at Tottenham
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
