Benjamin Mendy to visit Pep Guardiola's most trusted specialist for further tests on knee injury

Benjamin Mendy goes down under challenge from Andros Townsend
Benjamin Mendy goes down under challenge from Andros Townsend Credit: GETTY IMAGES

Benjamin Mendy, the Manchester City defender, is due to fly to Barcelona for further tests on a knee injury in order to establish whether he has suffered any ligament damage.

The left-back jarred his right knee challenging Andros Townsend during City’s 5-0 win over Crystal Palace at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday and was substituted inside half an hour.

Pep Guardiola appeared to raise the prospect on Monday of Mendy having a chance of playing against Shakhtar Donetsk in the Champions League but City’s medical staff felt the scans warranted closer investigation and the left-back will visit Dr Ramon Cugat at the Chiron Hospital in Barcelona.

Cugat is a leading orthopaedic surgeon and it has become common place for Guardiola to insist on his injured players visiting his trusted specialist. Ilkay Gundogan, Vincent Kompany, Kevin De Bruyne and David Silva have all been treated by Cugat over the past 12 months.

Benjamin Mendy walks off the field
Man City jarred his right knee Credit: GETTY IMAGES

The prospect of Mendy facing a substantial period out would be a crushing blow to Guardiola given the early impact the Frenchman had made following his £52 million summer move from Monaco and the lack of cover in the full-back positions.

Mendy was one of three full-backs, alongside Kyle Walker and Danilo, signed by Guardiola during a summer when the club lost four full-backs. Pablo Zabaleta, Bacary Sagna and Gael Clichy were all released and Aleksandar Kolarov asked to leave.

Danilo will fill in at left-back for City in Mendy’s absence but Guardiola acknowledged on Monday that any prolonged absence for Mendy would give him a significant headache. With Vincent Kompany still out injured, Mendy’s absence will raise fresh questions about City’s failure to sign more defensive recruits in the summer.

Germany forward Leroy Sane was used as a left wing-back in the 1-1 draw against Everton but struggled in the position and Guardiola has raised the prospect of midfielder Fabian Delph being used as a makeshift full-back.

“We are going to find a solution,” Guardiola said. “[Delph] is a midfield player but he can play left-back. Fabian can help us a lot.”

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