Ilkay Gundogan has offered his support to Manchester City team-mate Benjamin Mendy with the defender facing a lengthy lay-off due to a knee injury.
Left-back Mendy was hurt in a tackle on Andros Townsend during City’s 5-0 win over Crystal Palace at the Etihad Stadium last Saturday. The France international is to visit Barcelona-based specialist Dr Ramon Cugat for a full assessment of the injury this week but manager Pep Guardiola has said he could be out for a long time.
Midfielder Gundogan has only just returned to action himself after spending nine months on the sidelines following knee surgery, so he can sympathise.
Pep on @benmendy23, Delph, @aguerosergiokun and more following #cityvfcsd.
WATCH ?? https://t.co/DuKPuxcOVA #mancity pic.twitter.com/QN7aJIBy2u— Manchester City (@ManCity) September 26, 2017
The German said: “I think our task now is just to support him and just to be there if he needs something from us. I know how difficult these kinds of situations are. There’s not really much to talk about at the moment but we wish him a very speedy recovery and we support him in every way.”
Gundogan suffered another injury scare after taking a blow to his other knee during his first start since last December, in the Carabao Cup tie at West Brom.
Mendy time. pic.twitter.com/WQhXqenLME
— Manchester City (@ManCity) August 26, 2017
But the problem did not prove to be serious and the 26-year-old came off the bench in Tuesday’s Champions League victory over Shakhtar Donetsk.
Gundogan said: “I’m just happy that I returned that quickly after that hard tackle. I tried to train on the Friday and I still felt a little bit in my knee.
“On Saturday it was not possible to be in the squad but I trained on Sunday and Monday and I felt good, so I’m just happy to return that quickly.”
Source: By PA Sport Staff
