Guardiola revealed that Kovacic returned from the international break with an injury sustained while representing Croatia against Portugal in the Nations League, where he was substituted at halftime.
“Will be a while,” Guardiola said. “Three weeks or a month.”
Kovacic's role has become even more crucial for City, especially with Rodri, the primary holding midfielder, out for the remainder of the season due to an ACL injury. Ilkay Gundogan, at 34 years old, may need to step back into a deeper midfield position.
On a more positive note, Guardiola shared updates regarding his defense, indicating that center backs John Stones and Manuel Akanji have resumed training, and Nathan Ake is also fit to play.
“I don’t know if they’re ready to play 90 minutes, but to see their faces in the training session is really good,” Guardiola said.
As the defending champions, City has experienced a tough stretch, losing their last four matches across all competitions. They are set to face Tottenham at home in the Premier League on Saturday, currently sitting second in the league, trailing Liverpool by five points.