Manchester City confirmed on Monday news that severely impacts their sporting plans: Josko Gvardiol suffered a fractured tibia in his right leg and will have to undergo surgery in the coming days. The Croatian defender was injured during the second half of the 1-1 draw against Chelsea, played on Sunday in the Premier League, and had to leave the field visibly in pain. Get 20% off UEFA Champions League broadcasts in Spanish on DAZN. In an official statement, the English club reported: "Manchester City can confirm that Josko Gvardiol suffered a fractured tibia in his right leg. The defender will undergo surgery later this week and further assessment will be conducted to determine the full extent of the injury and the expected prognosis. Everyone at the club wishes Josko a speedy recovery." For now, no exact recovery time has been established, although it is a significant injury. 2026 began in a difficult way for Pep Guardiola's team. City failed to win in their first two matches of the year and saw Arsenal pull away at the top of the Premier League. Adding to this sporting woes was the injury to one of the regular starters in defense, a situation that increases the concern among the coaching staff. The incident that resulted in the fracture occurred three minutes into the second half against the Blues. Gvardiol went to challenge for a ball with Malo Gusto, won the duel, but his right leg got caught in the turf. The center-back immediately raised his arm, signaling for medical assistance, and remained lying on the ground, causing alarm on the City bench. After the match, Guardiola acknowledged that the situation "doesn't look good at all," even before the final diagnosis was known. Impact on City and concern in Croatia. Gvardiol's absence poses a significant challenge for Manchester City, who loses a key player in their back line. Faced with this scenario, the board analyzed options in the European winter transfer window, although they ultimately opted to terminate the loan of young Max Alleyne. The 20-year-old defender, who was on loan at Watford and had made 17 appearances in the English Championship, has suffered a blow. The injury is not only felt in Manchester. In the Croatian national team,the defender's injury was received as very bad news. At 23, Gvardiol had established himself as an undisputed starter, especially after his outstanding performance at the Qatar World Cup, a tournament that propelled his transfer to City from RB Leipzig for a fee close to €90 million.