Manchester City star Nathan Ake was in tears as he was stretchered off in the Nations League clash between Netherlands and Germany.
The defender looked disconsolate 41 minutes in after going to ground at the Johan Cruyff Arena in Amsterdam, with what appeared a serious muscle injury.
Ake, 29, initially tried to get back to his feet, before needing team-mate Cody Gakpo to help lower him back onto the turf. As he held his left leg, the referee called for medical attention, with Ake carefully placed on a stretcher before being carried off.
While home fans applauded him off the pitch, the star held his hands over his face as he left the field. The incident came just three minutes after Deniz Undav had levelled matters for Germany after Tijjani Reijnders’ early goal. Joshua Kimmich then put the visitors ahead on the brink of half time only for Denzel Dumfries to make it 2-2 on 50 minutes.
The scenes would have come as a hammer blow to City and manager Pep Guardiola. The Premier League champions host Brentford on Saturday, before opening their Champions League campaign at home to Inter Milan on September 18.
Just four days later, Arsenal visit the Etihad Stadium. The Gunners themselves have been hit by injury news this week, with skipper Martin Odegaard and Riccardo Calafiori picking up injuries on international duty.
Ake has become a critical performer at City since his £41million move from Bournemouth in 2020, making 127 club appearances. He also played a crucial role in the club’s 2022/23 treble winning campaign.
And last year, Guardiola hailed his qualities, arguing he was the squad’s best out-and-out defender. “He has been fundamental,” said the Spaniard. “I learned this season when you play against Saka, Vinicius, Martinelli and Salah, you need a proper defender to win duels.
“Or, in the Champions League, at that level, they need one action to beat you and Nathan gave us that boost that I didn’t have in the past. The biggest boost was having a proper defender and in the past we didn’t have it.”
It is likely to take some time for the severity on the injury to be known. But he is almost certain to face a lengthy spell on the sidelines.
Ake was a key player for his country at Euro 2024 this summer, and started the semi-final defeat to England. As a result, he did not return to Manchester until the end of July after being given extra time off after the tournament in Germany.
