Manchester City winger Antoine Semenyo has been ruled out for eight weeks, Enzo Maresca has confirmed.
Semenyo was left on the bench for Saturday's 3-2 win at home to Ipswich but came on, replacing Jeremy Doku, with 13 minutes to go only to suffer a lower leg problem.
Maresca revealed the issue was not muscular and confirmed the Ghana international is set for a lengthy spell on the sidelines.
Speaking ahead of Tuesday night's home game with AEK Athens in the Champions League, the City boss said: “In the first moment we expected an even worse injury, so we were more worried, but after yesterday's scan we feel much better because it is not so big like we expected.Â
“It could be eight weeks. So now in the moment, the most important thing for him is to recover and also when he is back, probably around December, we will have a new player in terms of energy.
“It is a collateral [lower leg injury], something like this. It is not muscle, not a muscle problem.â€
Semenyo blow for City and Haaland
The setback is not ideal for Maresca as he wrestles with a way of trying to give star striker Erling Haaland a rest. Haaland is also struggling for full fitness and is touch and go for the AEK game.
Semenyo is one of the few players in the City squad that can play up front but Maresca says he has other options.
“First of all to lose Antonine or any player for us, it is not good,†he added.Â
“Then in terms of Erling [Haaland], we said that we can use Antoine as a nine but also we have different players that we are going to try and find new solutions.
“We will see. At the moment it is Erling, why do we need to think about a different nine when Erling is there?Â
“Then, if something happens, we need a different plan or a different nine. There is also the chance that he can be available tomorrow. We'll see.â€
We need to win games – City boss Maresca
City are in the middle of a frenetic run of games but Maresca insisted he would not take AEK lightly.
He said: “It is a huge game, tomorrow for us. It is a Champions League game, unfortunately we lost the last one, we need to win games and we are going to try to win the game with our best players in this moment.â€
Maresca had a brief spell in Greek football, as a player with Olympiacos in the 2009/10 season.
“It is a Champions League game, different competition but the ambition has to be the same, try to win games and again,†he said. “I had one year experience there [in Greece]. As I said a few conferences ago, it is nice because it is very warm, every game, at home, away, but it was a good experience.â€
Manchester City in the Champions League this season
Sep 8: Porto (a) – Won 2-0
Oct 14: PSG (h) – lost 3-2
Oct 20: AEK Athens (h)
Nov 4: RB Leipzig (a)
Nov 24: Napoli (h)
Dec 8: Barcelona (a)
Jan 20: Lens (a)
Jan 27: Sporting CP (h)
