Manchester City midfielder set to miss Borussia Dortmund and Liverpool games, confirms Pep Guardiola | OneFootball

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has cast huge doubt over Mateo Kovacic’s availability for upcoming games against Borussia Dortmund and Liverpool.

Kovacic returned to first-team training in October after completing rehabilitation following an Achilles surgery at the end of the last season, which delayed the 31-year-old’s start to the 2025-26 campaign.

The Croatia international was involved in Manchester City’s Premier League games against Everton and Aston Villa last month as Guardiola and his backroom staff looked to ease him back to the pitch after a lengthy injury layoff.

Kovacic did not travel to Wales for Manchester City’s 3-1 Carabao Cup fourth-round win over Swansea City last week as strikes from Jeremy Doku, Omar Marmoush and Rayan Cherki helped the Blues come from behind and register a quarter-final tie with Brentford.

Guardiola was doubtful over Kovacic’s availability against Bournemouth in the days leading to Sunday’s crucial 3-1 win over the high-flying Cherries, with a brace from Erling Haaland and another goal from Nico O’Reilly helped City return to winning ways in the Premier League.

Kovacic was missing from the matchday squad on Sunday as Nico Gonzalez started in the number six position for Manchester City, who also welcomed back Ballon d’Or winning midfielder Rodri back to action late on against Bournemouth.

After the win, Guardiola was quizzed on Kovacic’s absence from the squad and the Manchester City boss handed a worrying update for his side ahead of monumental UEFA Champions League and Premier League fixtures against Borussia Dortmund and Liverpool this week.

Kovacic will be ruled out ‘for a while’, confirmed Guardiola. “He has a problem still with the ankle, and a little complications still there,” the 54-year-old coach said on Kovacic.

Two steps forward, one step back has become a somewhat recurring theme for City midfielders returning from injury in the last 12 months, with Rodri also suffering several fitness setbacks since he made his long-awaited return from ACL injury in May.

Manchester City need all the manpower they can get to keep up the pressure on league leaders and title favourites Arsenal, moving six points behind of the Gunners in second place in the table after seeing off Bournemouth on Sunday.

City made a slow start to the 2025-26 season courtesy of successive losses to Tottenham and Bournemouth in their opening trio of league games but have since more than turned a corner as Guardiola looks to guide his new-look side to a fifth Premier League title in six seasons.

Having made a strong start to their European campaign with two wins and a draw in their first three fixtures, Manchester City can take a major step towards qualification for the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 if they beat Borussia Dortmund on Wednesday at the Etihad Stadium.