Erling Haaland on the Bench for Manchester City in Champions League Clash
Erling Braut Haaland starts on the bench for Manchester City in their Champions League match against AEK Athens, following an ankle injury sustained during a 3-2 victory over Ipswich. reported that manager Enzo Maresca initially questioned the striker’s fitness before confirming his place in the matchday squad.
High Playing Time Sparks Concerns over Haaland Workload
The decision to bench the 26-year-old follows intense scrutiny over his cumulative playing time. noted that Haaland had started seven consecutive matches for club and country across a 27-day span, playing 800 of 810 possible minutes in the Premier League and Champions League. cited idrettsfysiolog Torstein Dalen-Lorentsen warning that Manchester City and the national team must properly manage the player’s workload to avoid a long-term absence. highlighted similar concerns from football expert Lars Tjærnås, who pointed out that the club’s summer sale of Omar Marmoush to Tottenham left the squad short of natural center-forward replacements.
Maresca acknowledged the difficulty of resting his striker, pointing to squad limitations when asked about alternative options. Meanwhile, reported that alternative forward Antoine Semenyo sustained an injury during the same Ipswich fixture and faces an expected absence of eight weeks.
Upcoming International Fixtures and Schedule Pressure
Haaland enters the fixture with 61 goals in 60 Champions League matches. Lite tyder på at landslagssjef Ståle Solbakken kan rekne med at det er ein utkvilt Haaland som møter opp til dei viktige nasjonsligakampane mot Wales (14. november) og Danmark (17. november).
City har fire kamper foran seg til og med 31. oktober.
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