Guardiola confirms Man City star has undergone surgery | OneFootball

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has confirmed that midfielder Mateo Kovacic has undergone another surgery.

The midfielder has suffered an ankle problem and is expected to be out for a few months.

“Yeah, he had another one,” Guardiola confirmed when asked whether Kovacic has undergone surgery.

“He had a calcification again in his feet, ankle, and it was so disturbing for him.”

The Croatian has played just 39 minutes of football for the Blues this season after suffering an achilles injury in the summer. The midfielder underwent surgery in the off-season but has now been forced to return to the operating table.

City’s boss continued: “He made an incredible effort, it was unbelievable.

“With the pain he played a few minutes before the surgery and in the training sessions. We have seen how he suffered, but he wanted to continue at the end.

“We arrived at the moment where he could not continue and the best thing is to clean it and come back.”

Now aged 31, a number of top European clubs were interested in Kovacic this summer, but a move never materialised. Guardiola was reportedly very keen to keep the midfielder who made 42 appearances last campaign.

“If you take more time it’s fine,” the Catalan said on his recovery. “But to play football you have to, at that age, always you have niggles, have pain, it’s normal, but not the limitation that he had before that surgery and hopefully he can recover well.”

Despite the Croatian’s absence, Guardiola remains confident in his squad.

He insisted: “If we continue with the squad fit, we will compete every single game and in every single competition. I don’t have any doubts about that.

“Last season we did not even compete in one competition.

“Everybody is fit right now and Kovacic will be back a little bit later. But Rodri will come back soon and everybody can be there. 

“Of course during the process there are injuries, we know that. But as much as we are fit we can compete in every competition, or be solid, or try, at least try. So that’s for sure.”