Manchester City have confirmed one of the worst blows to their defense: the loss of Manuel Akanji. The Swiss center back, a key part of the De Santpedor defense, will miss the crucial second leg against Real Madrid and probably the rest of the season. His absence is a major problem for the Citizens, who will need to restructure their defense at a crucial time of the season.
Akanji to miss Champions League return leg against Madrid
Manchester City have suffered a major setback ahead of the Champions League return leg between Real Madrid and Manchester City. Manuel Akanji, who was injured in the first leg, will be out of action for weeks, a major loss for Pep Guardiola’s side.
The Swiss central defender usually plays as a right back, but he will not be able to play in the match at the Santiago Bernabéu. According to the website ‘FPLMaineRoad’, the Swiss player’s absence could last long enough to miss the rest of the season, which means that Pep Guardiola will be forced to look for new defensive options. The lack of natural alternatives in his position exacerbates the problem for the Spanish coach, who will have to risk new line-ups.
Akanji’s absence complicates Guardiola’s plans
The Switzerland international left the pitch at half-time after a defensive challenge in which he showed signs of pain. The lack of an official medical report from the club leaves him in a situation of uncertainty, but according to various sources it seems that it could be a muscle injury of great importance.
Aside from Akanji, the other player affected by the injury was Jack Grealish, which leaves Guardiola with fewer resources for the return leg of the Champions League playoffs. Akanji’s absence poses a serious problem for the Catalan coach, as the departure of Kyle Walker in the winter transfer window had left the Swiss international as one of the key players on the right side of the backline, leaving Guardiola to rely on Matheus Nunes or Rico Lewis. However, both players’ lack of experience at the highest level of the game leaves room for doubt about their ability to perform well in this particular match.
How will Akanji’s absence affect Manchester City?
Manuel Akanji is a key player for Manchester City. He has made 30 appearances in all competitions so far in the 2024/25 season. The absence of the Swiss international leaves the Citizens’ defense in a complicated situation at a crucial time of the season, as City need to progress in the Champions League and overtake their closest challengers in the Premier League.
Guardiola’s ability to find an answer, to resolve the situation, will be crucial to maintaining the defensive stability of the team. The possibility of recycling midfielder Matheus Nunes in defense could be risky; on the other hand, Rico Lewis has shown defensive weaknesses so far this season. In addition, Rúben Dias and John Stones are playing too many minutes, which could lead to worrying physical exhaustion in the final stages of the competition.
Without Akanji, Manchester City face a huge challenge in their quest for silverware, and the team’s response in the coming games will be crucial to their aspirations this season, either because Manchester City fans want Guardiola to find the best solution to counteract the effect of this very important absence, or because Manchester City fans want Guardiola to find the best solution to counteract the effect of this very important absence.