Mendy out for season
® MANCHESTER CITY’S worst fears were confirmed last night when Benjamin Mendy was ruled out for the season.
The £52m left-back will have surgery on his knee in Barcelona today.
Mendy went off in Saturday’s 5-0 victory over Crystal Palace after picking up the injury in a challenge with Andros Townsend.
Scans revealed that the French international defender faces a lengthy spell out with ruptured knee ligaments.
Mendy said: “Bad news. I’ll be joining Injury FC on loan for a couple of months with a ruptured ACL.
“But I will be back soon and hopefully stronger.”
Blow
Mendy, 23, is now a major doubt for next summer’s World Cup.
It is major blow to City with Mendy, who signed from Monaco in June, their only recognised left-back.
Mendy has been a key figure in City’s superb start to the season, with Pep Guardiola’s men top of the Premier League and top of their Champions League qualifying group.
His absence presents Guardiola with a major headache as they prepare for tomorrow’s trip to title rivals Chelsea.
Fabian Delph, called up to the England squad for next month’s World Cup qualifiers against Slovenia and Lithuania, filled in at full-back against Shakhtar Donetsk on Tuesday.
Summer signing Danilo is another option.