Pep Guardiola confirms Aymeric Laporte is out for three weeks with hamstring injury

Aymeric Laporte is out for ‘three weeks, more or less’ after Pep Guardiola confirmed the centre back will play no part in Sunday’s Carabao Cup final against Aston Villa. 

Laporte was forced off midway through the first half in midweek in Manchester City‘s Champions League win at Real Madrid. 

He has made just four appearances since returning from a cruciate knee injury that has sidelined him for close to five months.   

And ahead of Sunday’s domestic cup final against Villa, Guardiola confirmed that the defender will be out until the end of March with a hamstring issue. 

‘It’s three weeks, more or less,’ he said. ‘It’s tough and you have to work hard.

‘Life is not easy and always in the world the people who survive are the ones who cope with the bad moments. 

‘It is what it is. Accept it, work hard to come back as soon as possible.’

City are overwhelming favourites to retain the Carabao Cup title on Sunday when they face a Villa side they beat 6-1 in a recent Premier League meeting. 

But the injury to Laporte could see him miss the return leg against Real Madrid on March 17 and that would prove more damaging with the tie in the balance at 2-1 to Guardiola’s side. 

When quizzed on his mindset going in to the final after expending so much energy in the statement win in Madrid, Guardiola added: ‘It’s better to go play a final after a good result in Madrid but we cannot live a final thinking how good we were. 

‘Madrid is not done. I have thought that it is difficult to win at big clubs but it is challenging to beat them twice.’