Huge injury blow for Man City as £50m new signing Nico Gonzalez’s debut lasts just 22 minutes before he’s crocked
MANCHESTER CITY were hit with a huge injury blow as Nico Gonzalez's debut lasted just 22 minutes.
The midfielder signed for £50million from Porto in the January transfer window and started against Leyton Orient in the FA Cup.
But Gonzalez went down injured off the ball on 20 minutes - and was replaced by Bernardo Silva just moments later.
City were trailing at the time and now face hosting Real Madrid on Tuesday without their new man.
But manager Pep Guardiola did breathe a sigh of relief when Abdukodir Khusanov levelled on 55 minutes.
The defender - who came off the bench - saw his effort on the edge of the box deflected in past keeper Josh Keeley.
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It came after Orient took a shock lead on 16 minutes when Jamie Donley's strike hit the bar and bounced off City stopper Stefan Ortega.
City new boy Gonzalez - who came through Barcelona's academy and first team - started in midfield alongside Ilkay Gundogan.
His arrival comes with Rodri still facing the prospect of missing the remainder of the season through injury.
The Spaniard ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament during a 2-2 draw with Arsenal in September.
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Guardiola has history with Gonzalez having tracked his time at Barca's youth set up.
And he said: "It's a position where we were weak after the absence from Rodri.
"I know him from the Barcelona academy and his father was working here.
"I'm really pleased from the effort of the club to bring him here for the next years."
