Manchester City Star Bernardo Silva Withdraws From Portugal Squad With Unspecified Injury
Manchester City midfielder Bernardo Silva has been forced to withdraw from the Portugal squad due to injury and will not play in his country's UEFA Nations League clash against Poland in Guimarães on Tuesday night.
The Portuguese Football Federation (FPF) confirmed the news in a statement, although offered little in the way of detail other than the player is unavailable to face Poland.
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The FPF statement read: "Following medical and diagnostic tests performed by the FPF Health and Performance Unit, player Bernardo Silva was considered unavailable for the meeting against Poland, to be held this Tuesday in Guimarães."
Portugal have already qualified for the inaugural Nations League finals in June, which they will host, and so Silva's absence is unimportant in that respect. It does, however, make him a doubt for City when domestic football resumes at the weekend.
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The reigning Premier League champions are due to travel to London to face West Ham on Saturday afternoon. If he is unavailable for that game Silva will be sorely missed as he has played a key role for City in the first quarter of the season.
The 24-year-old former Monaco star has played a part in all 12 of City's Premier League outings so far in 2018/19, starting 11 of them. He's also provided three goals and three assists, including two assists in the Manchester derby against local rivals United earlier this month.
Silva joins an injury that already features Kevin De Bruyne and Benjamin Mendy. If he is unable to face West Ham, it opens the door for Ilkay Gundogan, Phil Foden or Leroy Sane to start.
