Manchester City have been dealt a significant injury setback, with Antoine Semenyo expected to miss around eight weeks after suffering a knee injury during Saturday’s 3–2 Premier League victory over Ipswich Town.
Enzo Maresca confirmed the winger’s expected absence ahead of City’s UEFA Champions League meeting with AEK Athens, revealing that scans carried out on Sunday had provided a clearer picture of the injury.
Although Semenyo is facing a lengthy spell on the sidelines, the City manager offered some reassurance, explaining that the initial assessment had raised greater concerns about the severity of the problem.
“The rest are more or less okay. The only one that will be out for probably eight weeks is Antoine,” Maresca said.
“In the first moment we expected an even worse injury so we were more worried.
“After yesterday’s scan we feel much better because it’s not so big like we expected.
“It could be eight weeks. Now in this moment the most important thing for him is his recovery. When he is back around December it will be like a new player in terms of energy.”
The injury means City could be without Semenyo until around December, depending on his recovery. His absence will be a disappointment for Maresca as the club navigate a demanding schedule across domestic and European competitions.
Haaland Fitness Boost for City
While Semenyo’s injury is a concern, City have received more encouraging news regarding Erling Haaland.
The Norwegian striker took a knock during the victory over Ipswich, in which he scored twice to help City maintain their perfect start to the Premier League season.
Maresca confirmed that Haaland had improved and could be available for Tuesday’s Champions League fixture against AEK Athens at the Etihad Stadium.
“He can be available,” the City boss said. “We’ll see. We have a session now and we have some doubts after Sunday’s game.
“He was quite good yesterday. Better. So we’ll see today.
“Replacing Erling is always difficult. We have some different options and we’ll see tomorrow.
“It depends a little bit on the gameplan and also there is a chance he can be available tomorrow.”
Haaland’s availability will be particularly important given his goalscoring form and Semenyo’s expected absence. However, Maresca will assess the striker before making a final decision on his involvement.
Maresca Considers His Options in Attack
Semenyo had been viewed as one option capable of operating as a central striker, potentially allowing Haaland to receive a rest during a congested run of fixtures.
With the winger now facing an extended period out, Maresca will need to consider alternative solutions should the Norwegian require a break or become unavailable.
The City manager acknowledged the disappointment of losing a player but insisted that the club have other attacking options to explore.
“First of all, to lose Antoine or any player for us is not good,” he said.
“In terms of Erling, we said we can use Antoine as a nine but we have different players that we are going to try to find a new solution. We will see.
“At the moment it’s Erling. Why do we need to think about a different nine when Erling is there? If something happens and we need a different plan or different nine, we will see.”
Maresca’s comments suggest that City will not rush into changing their attacking structure simply because Semenyo is unavailable. Instead, the manager will assess his squad and adapt if circumstances demand it.
City Turn Attention to AEK Athens
Manchester City’s immediate focus is Tuesday’s Champions League League Phase meeting with AEK Athens, where they will look to continue their European campaign while managing several fitness concerns.
Maresca also addressed the condition of Matheus Nunes, Nico O’Reilly and Mateo Kovačić, indicating that the rest of the squad were generally in a better position than Semenyo.
The coming weeks will test City’s depth as they attempt to maintain their momentum in the Premier League and make progress in Europe.
For Semenyo, attention now turns to rehabilitation and a gradual return to fitness. For Maresca, the challenge is to find the right balance between keeping his remaining attackers fresh and sustaining City’s strong start to the season.
