Manchester City have confirmed that defender Josko Gvardiol sustained a broken leg during Sunday’s 1-1 draw with Chelsea at the Etihad Stadium.
Gvardiol was one of two City centre-backs forced off in the second half, alongside Ruben Dias, before Enzo Fernandez scored a stoppage-time equaliser for the visitors. The result leaves City six points behind Premier League leaders Arsenal.
The club announced that Gvardiol suffered a tibial fracture to his right leg and will undergo surgery later this week. A statement on Monday added:
“The defender will have surgery later this week, and assessment remains ongoing to ascertain the full extent of the injury and expected prognosis.”
Before the severity of Gvardiol’s injury was confirmed, City manager Pep Guardiola had admitted that the outlook “doesn’t look good” for either player. The extent of Dias’ injury has yet to be disclosed.
The absences further compound City’s defensive challenges. John Stones has been sidelined for the past month with a thigh injury, while Rayan Ait-Nouri is away with Algeria at the Africa Cup of Nations.
Midfield options are also limited, with Nico Gonzalez missing the Chelsea match and Guardiola unavailable for Wednesday’s clash with Brighton, as Savinho, Oscar Bobb, Mateo Kovacic, and Omar Marmoush remain sidelined.
Amid the injury setbacks, City received a boost with the return of Rodri, who completed 90 minutes against Chelsea in his first start since October. The Spanish midfielder has endured several setbacks, including a recent hamstring issue, while recovering from a severe knee injury that ruled him out for much of last season.
Reflecting on his return, Rodri said:
“It’s been a terrible, terrible time for me. Everything that comes right now is a gift. Every minute I’ve been on the pitch is a joy. Thank you to God for giving me this second opportunity to enjoy my profession and recover my smile.”
