Jack Grealish had to be substituted early in the first half of Manchester City’s UEFA Champions League Round of 16 first-leg clash with FC Copenhagen.
The England international went down appearing to clutch his groin after an innocuous challenge in midfield. Jack Grealish immediately looked distressed and the game was stopped while the winger could receive treatment. City’s winger would return to the pitch briefly before being replaced by Jeremy Doku in the 21st minute.
Jack Grealish was substituted off in the 21st minute due to an apparent injury 🤕 pic.twitter.com/w8VZDSC9aQ
— ESPN UK (@ESPNUK) February 13, 2024
It is a blow for Manchester City and the England international. Grealish and City had begun the game brightly with the winger looking keen to impress in the early stages of the game. After impressing in his brief cameo against Everton the former Aston Villa winger looked determined to make an impact in his return to the starting lineup.
Manchester City dominated the opening stages of the first half before the injury to Grealish. They took an early lead through Kevin De Bruyne in the 10th minute at the Parken Stadium. Pep Guardiola’s side were all over the hosts when the injury to Grealish struck.
FC Copenhagen fought their way back into the first half after the injury to the England international. They seized upon an error by Ederson to equalise through Magnus Mattsen in the 34th minute. It did appear that the loss of Grealish did upset City’s rhythm. City would go in with a 2-1 halftime lead after a quality finish from Bernardo Silva.
Attention will now shift to Pep Guardiola’s post-game press conference for a potential update on the status of Grealish. A further update may not be available until the injury is assessed post-game.
