Is Phil Foden Injured? Here’s Why Pep Guardiola Took Off Manchester City Star vs Real Madrid

Real Madrid vs. Manchester City shattered all the expectations placed on its head. In an enthralling six-goal thriller, both sides leveled by netting three goals each. However, a cloud of concern hovers over Pep Guardiola‘s side as star player Phil Foden was substituted after going down on the pitch. This raises the million-dollar question of whether a potential injury emerges as the cause for the midfielder’s substitution.

City fans had barely recovered from Kevin De Bruyne‘s absence against Los Blancos when another concerning alarm sounded within the Sky Blues squad. However, there’s nothing much to be concerned about, as it was just a minor knock. Notably, during the 85th minute, Foden went down as he held his ankle, calling for help from his team’s medic. However, despite receiving treatment, the 23-year-old moved gingerly as he faced difficulties to meet the pace of the game. 

This forced Guardiola to quickly sub him off, with Argentinian forward Julian Alvarez taking his place. Dismissing the England international even in the final moments of the game must have been a hard decision for the former Barcelona coach. But risking him would have further increased the extent of his injury. Already, City came to this match without their two key defenders and it’s unlikely that they knowingly add to their injury list. Meanwhile, let’s hear what Pep Guardiola said about Foden’s injury. 

Pep Guardiola eases concern by suggesting Phil Foden only suffered “a knock”

Following the match, Pep Guardiola was questioned about quickly subbing off Phil Foden, who looked visibly distressed after he had gone down. However, the Spaniard replied, “It was a knock. He was grumpy with me because I made a substitution but he made another fantastic goal.” While praising the English midfielder’s magical display tonight, Guardiola made a reliving claim.  

This debunks the injury concerns surrounding Foden. Likewise, City won’t be taking any chances, as further tests will clear the air. In fact, it’s safe to say that Guardiola made the change just for safety reasons. After all, today’s performance makes his presence in the return leg much more important. The City Academy graduate had scored a screamer to contribute to the 3-3 scoreline. 

Meanwhile, an early strike from Bernardo Silva and Josko Gvardiol’s goal was denied by Ruben Dias’ own goal, and comeback goals from Rodrygo and Federico Valverde. While the first leg only yielded an emphatic score, we can only imagine what the return leg will bring.