Manchester City Women’s captain Alex Greenwood faces an extended period on the sidelines after undergoing knee surgery.
The 31-year-old England defender was stretchered off during the first half of City’s Champions League victory over St Polten last week as a result of a collision with Melanie Brunnthaler.
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A club release on Thursday said Greenwood “has since undergone a repair to his MCL (medial collateral ligament) and will now return to the City Football Academy to work intensively with the club’s medical team. ” No timeline has been provided for his recovery.
“This is the end of 2024 I was hoping for,” Greenwood said in a social media update.
“I will work so hard to be back on the pitch as soon as I can, for now I’m going to take some time to myself and family who always give their time to me.”
— Alex Greenwood (@AlexGreenwood) December 19, 2024
Greenwood joins a developing injury list for head coach Gareth Taylor, which includes top scorer Khadija Shaw, who was absent in City’s 3-0 Champions League loss to Barcelona on Wednesday night.
The Jamaican striker, who has netted nine goals in nine Women’s Super League games this season, has missed City’s past three matches in all competitions with a lower leg issue and will not return until after the upcoming winter break. Lauren Hemp and Vivianne Miedema also remain unavailable with long-term knee issues.
Greenwood hopes to be able to do so in time to give himself every chance to feature for England at next summer’s European Championship in Switzerland.
The former Lyon defender has been a pillar of England’s Sarina Wiegman defence, making 96 international appearances since his senior debut in 2014.
The Lionesses play six games in the UEFA Nations League between now and the start of the Euros, which begin on July 2.
England, current champions, will face France, the Netherlands and Wales, for the Euro Cup, in Group D.
(Oli Bufanda/AFP Getty Images)