Pep Guardiola Keeps Mum on Haaland's Absence
In a press conference ahead of Manchester City's final Champions League group game against Galatasaray, manager Pep Guardiola has dismissed questions about the availability of star striker Erling Haaland. When asked if Haaland will be fresh for the match, Guardiola claimed he didn't have dinner with him last night and therefore doesn't know his condition.
This comes as a welcome relief to City fans, who are eager to see their top-scorer return to form after a seven-game drought without scoring from open play. Haaland's absence has left City in need of a goal-scoring boost, especially considering the team's 11th-place finish and limited points.
Guardiola also revealed that Jeremy Doku has made a late fitness test for the match against Galatasaray after recovering from a leg injury. However, midfielder Nico González is set to face a fitness test due to his availability for the visit of Galatasaray.
Meanwhile, Guardiola has apologized for criticizing referee Farai Hallam after he did not award City a penalty against Wolves. The manager acknowledged that Hallam was on his Premier League debut and praised the officials' integrity in their decision-making.
In other Champions League news, Napoli are struggling to come back from an 8-point deficit in Serie A with several key players missing due to injuries. The Italian club faces Chelsea later this week, but a win would only keep them within reach of the playoffs.
Lastly, Barcelona will face Copenhagen in their final group fixture, knowing that a top-eight finish is essential for direct qualification into the last 16. With creative linchpin Pedri out with a muscle injury and Frenkie de Jong suspended, Barça's midfield depth has been put to the test.
As the Champions League group stage enters its final stretch, these teams will need to dig deep to secure their spots in the knockout phase.
In a press conference ahead of Manchester City's final Champions League group game against Galatasaray, manager Pep Guardiola has dismissed questions about the availability of star striker Erling Haaland. When asked if Haaland will be fresh for the match, Guardiola claimed he didn't have dinner with him last night and therefore doesn't know his condition.
This comes as a welcome relief to City fans, who are eager to see their top-scorer return to form after a seven-game drought without scoring from open play. Haaland's absence has left City in need of a goal-scoring boost, especially considering the team's 11th-place finish and limited points.
Guardiola also revealed that Jeremy Doku has made a late fitness test for the match against Galatasaray after recovering from a leg injury. However, midfielder Nico González is set to face a fitness test due to his availability for the visit of Galatasaray.
Meanwhile, Guardiola has apologized for criticizing referee Farai Hallam after he did not award City a penalty against Wolves. The manager acknowledged that Hallam was on his Premier League debut and praised the officials' integrity in their decision-making.
In other Champions League news, Napoli are struggling to come back from an 8-point deficit in Serie A with several key players missing due to injuries. The Italian club faces Chelsea later this week, but a win would only keep them within reach of the playoffs.
Lastly, Barcelona will face Copenhagen in their final group fixture, knowing that a top-eight finish is essential for direct qualification into the last 16. With creative linchpin Pedri out with a muscle injury and Frenkie de Jong suspended, Barça's midfield depth has been put to the test.
As the Champions League group stage enters its final stretch, these teams will need to dig deep to secure their spots in the knockout phase.
it's like he's playing with us, keeping city fans on edge. I mean, who doesn't love a good mystery? and at least jeremy doku is looking fresh to make his comeback! 
and barca is in trouble without pedri and de jong. gotta root for them, though, they're gonna need all the luck they can get 
. And now City fans are worried about his availability again? It's getting frustrating.
. Can't he just stand by what he believes in without being all contrite?
. Napoli's injury crisis and Barcelona's midfield woes are really making my life hard 
. I swear, some teams just can't get it together no matter how many times they say they're working on their issues 
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️. Napoli's situation is worrying though, 8-point deficit is huge 
. Barcelona needs to step it up with Pedri out and Frenkie de Jong suspended 
I feel like Pep Guardiola is playing a bit of cat and mouse with us... Like, yeah sure, you didn't have dinner together last night, so do we really trust that? 
. And poor Jeremy Doku just got back from an injury and now he's gotta push himself again 
. Fingers crossed Nico González is okay tho 
. We try our best as friends, family, or managers, but at the end of the day, only they truly know what's going on inside. It's actually kinda refreshing to see him keep mum and not spread unnecessary worries 
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. That takes a big man to admit when we're wrong and give credit where it's due 
. It reminds us that everyone has their own role to play in making things right, even if it means apologizing or taking a step back.
. And Barcelona? Well, they need to rally behind their injured players and come together as a team 
. We all face tough times, but it's how we respond that matters 
. On a related note, I think Guardiola's decision to criticize referee Hallam was somewhat tone-deaf, considering his own team had several legitimate calls denied 
... come on man, if he didn't have dinner with Haaland last night he should know if his star striker is fit or not 
... and what's with the apology for criticizing the ref? It's like Pep is trying to distract us from his real concerns 
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. Can't wait for the final group stage matches to see how things play out 
... maybe he should focus on getting his top scorer back instead of playing detective 
. City needs Haaland back in form ASAP or they'll be stuck in that mediocre spot all season. And on the other hand, I feel bad for Jeremy Doku who's working so hard to get back into the game... fingers crossed he makes it through! 
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, the guy did his job. And Napoli's situation is just crazy 
, their midfield depth is looking a bit thin without him. Still, it's Barça, so I'm sure they'll find a way to pull it off 
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... 8 points down with key players out. That's like bein' down and out in a fight 
. They're still got it in 'em though - if they can just stay healthy & focus, maybe they can turn this around 
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. Copenhagen's gonna be a tough one for 'em, but if they can just get that top-eight finish, maybe they'll be in 
... 22 goals in 25 games last season, 15 in 20 this season. That's some drop-off talkin' about here