Manchester City defender Aymeric Laporte is expected to be out of action for up to a month, according to his manager Pep Guardiola.
Laporte was forced off in the first half of Wednesday’s Champions League victory at Real Madrid – having made just eight appearances this season.
“He has a hamstring injury, three weeks out more or less, a month,” Guardiola said on Friday.
“Unfortunately this happens after four or five months out.”
Laporte, 25, returned in City’s 1-0 win over Sheffield United in January, following surgery on a knee injury in August 2019.
Guardiola said, after that match, that his return may have been “a risk”, but described the Frenchman as the “best left-sided central defender in the world”.
Laporte, making only his fourth appearance since his comeback, was replaced by Fernandinho after 33 minutes in Madrid.
“Life is not easy and always in the world the people who survive are the ones who cope with the bad moments,” Guardiola added.
“It is what it is. Accept it and work hard to come back as soon as possible.”
There was more positive news on winger Leroy Sane, who has been out with a knee injury since the Community Shield, as Guardiola confirmed he will feature for City’s under-23s against Arsenal on Friday.
“I don’t want to put targets on him, we want him to play the game then speak with him, (about) how he felt.”