Enzo Maresca said Erling Haaland could be available for Manchester City's Manchester City vs AEK Athens FC trip, but there are still doubts after training. The bigger blow is Antoine Semenyo, who is expected to miss around eight weeks with a collateral ligament injury.
Haaland's status for the AEK Athens match
Speaking to Foot Mercato, Maresca said Haaland "could be available" and that he was "doing rather well yesterday". That is a lift for City because Haaland has 8 Premier League goals in 7 appearances this season, plus 4 Champions League goals in 2 appearances.
The manager also said the MRI on Semenyo was less worrying than first feared, but the injury is still serious enough to sideline him for eight weeks. Maresca added that when he returns in December, it will be "like a new signing," although the club are not treating his comeback as a fixed date.
Semenyo's absence and City's workload
Semenyo's absence removes a player who has already produced 2 goals and 3 assists in 7 Premier League games this season. AEK Athens FC will not get much comfort from City's injury news either, because the holders are still managing a busy European schedule and need points at home on Tuesday.
City sit 17th in the Champions League standings with 3 points from 2 matches, so the fixture has weight even with a domestic cushion behind them. The immediate question is whether Haaland is in the squad, while Semenyo looks set to miss the next two months.
Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 3 outlets. How we work →
