Manchester: Manchester City is expecting its star forward Erling Haaland to be fit in time for the FIFA Club World Cup after the Norwegian was subbed off during the second-half of the FA Cup quarterfinal against Bournemouth on Sunday.
Haaland has suffered an injury on his left ankle and is undergoing further tests to determine the extent of the injury with the club confirming he will be available for the final part of the season, including the FIFA Club World Cup 2025.
“Manchester City FC can confirm that Erling Haaland has suffered an injury to his left ankle. The Norwegian striker sustained the injury during Sunday’s FA Cup quarter-final victory away at AFC Bournemouth.
“Erling underwent initial tests in Manchester on Monday morning and will now seek specialist consultation to confirm the full extent of the injury. Assessment remains ongoing to ascertain a full prognosis. The expectation is that Erling will be fit in time to play a further part in the remainder of this season, including this summer’s FIFA Club World Cup,” read the statement by the club.
Haaland’s injury comes as a major blow as Manchester City gear up for the end run-in of the 2025 season. The defending Premier League champions are currently in fifth place in the league table and are one point behind Chelsea in their bid to qualify for the UEFA Champions League, having already been eliminated from the European competition by Real Madrid this year.
Haaland has scored 21 league goals in 28 games this season and is the second-highest goalscorer in the league, only behind Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah.
The new format of the FIFA Club World Cup will grace the world stage in June and July 2025, when 32 of the globe’s leading teams gather in the USA for the inaugural edition. This global event will bring together the most successful club sides from each of the six international confederations: AFC, CAF, Concacaf, CONMEBOL, OFC and UEFA.
(IANS)
