Midfield Mayhem Strikes Manchester City…
Manchester City are facing a lineup that looks thinner than a pancake in a crepe cooking contest, as they worry about Mateo Kovacic being out until October due to his Achilles injury. After an operation this summer, he’s been a no-show at the Club World Cup and pre-season events. Despite traveling to Palermo for a friendly, the Croatian has appeared more mysterious than a magician’s disappearing act. With Rodri also not fully fit until after the international break, Pep Guardiola might be wishing for a cloning device for his worn-out squad.
Meanwhile, January signing Nico Gonzalez seems to be carrying more weight on his shoulders than a backpacker on a year-long trip. With Gundogan and Reijnders better suited to scoring than sitting back, Guardiola might look like a circus juggler trying to balance his team. As City’s injury pile-up threatens to turn their dream squad into a half-awake marching band, they brace to face tough competition against Liverpool and Arsenal. Pep jokes that his team will feel as fresh as a daisy—if that daisy has been run over by a lawnmower!
