(Reuters) – Bernardo Silva could miss Manchester City’s next few games after injuring himself in their Champions League match against Red Star Belgrade, manager Pep Guardiola said on Friday, as the midfielder joins a long list of players sidelined.
Silva was forced off before halftime of City’s 3-1 home win over the Serbian side in their Champions League group opener on Tuesday.
Table toppers City are already without Kevin De Bruyne, Mateo Kovacic, John Stones and Jack Grealish and Guardiola had said they were “in trouble” after Silva came off.
“It’s a little injury, a week to 10 days he will be out,” Guardiola told reporters ahead of Saturday’s home game against Nottingham Forest.
“(They are playing) a lot of games. Less games, less injuries. We’ve had a lot of games in a row with not much rest, it’s just that. We demand a lot of effort and sometimes they can’t sustain it.
“Jack (Grealish) was at Sheffield United with a knock on his knee – it’s football. But muscular injuries mean you miss a lot of games.”
Guardiola said Grealish (thigh injury) has trained and could play a few minutes while Kovacic (back) is still on the mend.
The Spanish manager also said he was placing his trust in young players to step up and praised Julian Alvarez after the 23-year-old started the season with four goals and two assists in his last five games.
“He always has good behaviour, when he’s playing or not playing, being a world champion or not. It’s always the same,” Guardiola said.
“The perfect dose of disappointment when he doesn’t play but always ready for the opportunity. Right now with the injuries, he’s had minutes and he gives us a lot of good things. That’s why he’s playing, but he has to continue.”
(Reporting by Rohith Nair in Bengaluru; Editing by Toby Davis)
