Soccer Football - Premier League - Aston Villa v Manchester City - Villa Park, Birmingham, Britain - December 6, 2023 Manchester City's Erling Braut Haaland reacts after Aston Villa's Leon Bailey scores their first goal Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Boyers/File photo
(Reuters) - Erling Haaland will not travel with Manchester City for their Champions League tie with Red Star Belgrade but will return to training on Thursday, manager Pep Guardiola said on Tuesday.
Haaland was absent from City's 2-1 win at Luton Town on Sunday with a foot injury, the first game the Premier League's top scorer has missed this season.
"He will be back on Thursday, day after tomorrow, and we see how he feels," Guardiola told a press conference.
"I cannot answer (if he will play on Saturday), I don't know right now. The next press conference I can be more precise about his condition."
City have won all five group games in the Champions League this season but in the Premier League the victory at Luton was their first after four games without a win, and Guardiola was asked if he was happy with the performances despite results.
"In general yes, could be better but could be worse. A question of the not good results, take the positives," the manager said.
"A good result like last weekend, analyse it that we can still do better. We have to find the balance, not be so excited or at the same time don't be so depressed.
"We lost one game in the last six or seven, and a big disaster. We lost one game and draw the others but we perform really well."
Group G is all wrapped up, with City, top on 15 points, and Red Bull Leipzig, second with nine points, both already qualified for the last 16, while Red Star are bottom on one point, giving Guardiola the chance to perhaps rest some players on Wednesday.
"I don't know, we analyse opponents, what we have to do to win the game. We are going to rotate some players," Guardiola said.
"I'm very pleased tomorrow I can play some players who haven't played lately."
(Reporting by Trevor Stynes; editing by Clare Fallon)
