Pep Guardiola has confirmed that Manchester City winger Jeremy Doku will miss their crucial Champions League group decider against Club Brugge and remains a major doubt for their pivotal Premier League clash with Arsenal.
Signed for £55m from Rennes in the summer of 2023, Doku has already been sidelined for two significant matches—a Champions League defeat to Paris Saint-Germain and a Premier League victory over Chelsea.
City appeared poised to secure progress in Europe after taking a 2-0 lead against PSG through goals from Jack Grealish and Erling Haaland.
However, a stunning comeback from the Parisians resulted in a 4-2 loss, leaving City’s qualification hopes hanging by a thread.
Currently sitting 25th in the standings, City face the uphill task of securing their place in the Champions League knockout stages.
Only the top eight teams progress directly, while teams ranked 9th to 24th must compete in playoffs. Their final group opponent, Club Brugge, sits in 20th with a record of three wins, two draws, and two losses.
Guardiola expressed his frustration over Doku’s extended absence, hinting that the Belgian winger could miss Arsenal’s visit to the Emirates Stadium, a critical fixture for both clubs.
Arsenal is chasing Premier League leaders Liverpool, while City must stabilize their form to retain a top-four position.
“A while. I don’t know how much, but a while,” Guardiola said when asked about Doku’s recovery timeline. “He will not be ready for Wednesday, for sure. For Arsenal, we’ll see.”
Amid the injury woes, there was some relief as John Stones made his long-awaited return during City’s comeback win over Chelsea.
The defender, featuring for the first time in nearly a month, replaced debutant Abdulkodir Khusanov in the second half and delivered a solid performance.
Khusanov, a new arrival at the Etihad, endured a tough debut, committing a costly error leading to Chelsea’s opener and picking up a yellow card within the opening minutes.
Guardiola admitted that the player was thrown into a difficult situation, saying, “It’s not easy to start in the Premier League, against Chelsea, with no proper communication or training. He needs time to adapt.”
With Ruben Dias and Nathan Aké still recovering, Stones’ return is critical for City. Guardiola emphasized the defender’s importance, stating, “John is crucial for us right now.
He played well and must push through for Wednesday. We hope Nathan and Ruben return quickly, but the situation remains challenging.”
Manchester City now faces a season-defining week with critical matches on both European and domestic fronts, testing their depth and resilience amidst an ongoing injury crisis.