Aymeric Laporte Ruled Out of Manchester Derby as City Learn Extent of Latest Injury

Aymeric Laporte is facing a 'minimum' of three weeks on the sidelines, after the defender suffered a hamstring injury against Real Madrid on Tuesday night. 

The Frenchman has been a central part of much of ​City's success under Pep Guardiola, and they have struggled defensively in his prolonged absence this season.

Laporte missed five months with a knee injury prior to his return against Sheffield United last month, with City losing five games in that time and ceding the Premier League title race to ​Liverpool. 

They lost their sixth of the season against Spurs after Laporte wasn't risked for a second successive game, but he was able to start wins over West Ham and Leicester before being called upon to start at the Bernabéu. 

However, he lasted just 33 minutes of City's ​famous 2-1 victory, and with the score still tied at 0-0, he was visibly distraught as an apparent hamstring injury forced him off the pitch prematurely.

City fans might have prepared for the worst having watched their defensive talisman miss most of the season with injury already, but while the news isn't as bad as first feared, the three-week absence means he could miss five key fixtures - including Sunday's Carabao Cup final with Aston Villa, next week's Manchester Derby, and the return leg with Real at the Etihad, according to The Telegraph.

It's also worth keeping in mind that the three weeks is a minimum estimate, so the clash with Chelsea on 21 March also looks in doubt, considering Guardiola won't want to rush him back. 

While the Premier League is out of their reach barring a miracle, City face a fight on their hands to retain the FA and League Cups, while they will also be especially keen to go all the way in Europe, since it may be their ​last chance for the foreseeable to get their hands on the Champions League.

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