Guardiola reveals injury blow, slams referee and says Haaland is on the level of Messi and Ronaldo | OneFootball

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has revealed that his side have been dealt a fresh injury blow, with Mateo Kovacic ‘out for a while’.

The Croatian was missing from City’s squad as they defeated Bournemouth 3-1 and moved up to second in the table. Guardiola confirmed that his absence was due to injury.

“He’ll be out for a while, yeah,” said the Catalan. “The problem is still with the ankle, a little calcification still there. 

“We’re waiting since the last part of last season.”

The Blues still got the job done without the midfielder, although City’s boss felt that the result should have been better. There were huge appeals for a foul on Gianluigi Donnarumma when Bournemouth scored their goal.

Guardiola was clearly unhappy with the decision, as he reflected: “I saw it today, I saw it.

“Don’t worry, I don’t call the officials and the referees, I’m not the manager to do that. 

“In the past a lot of prestigious managers did it. I don’t do it, of course they will not call me. 

“But I said many times, I know all the referees, I know them, one decade, perfectly, and what was going on in this stadium.”

The coach continued: “I don’t call them. I don’t have time.

“I don’t have time to waste my time talking to them. No, no, absolutely not. I said to him, next time we see each other, tell me if it’s a foul or not, because I’m waiting.

“They’re brave here, they are brave. So brave.”

Despite Bournemouth’s controversial goal standing, Erling Haaland netted twice to help City claim all three points. “It’s a little like when you play with Messi or Cristiano,” Guardiola said of his striker. “The influence is so big.”

Haaland has scored 13 of City’s 20 league goals, a huge percentage of them. Asked if the Norwegian is playing at the level of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, Guardiola simply answered: “Did you see the numbers of that guy? Oh, my God, yeah, of course he’s at that level.”