Manchester City's Aymeric Laporte on Recent Injury: 'I Wouldn't Say I'm Cursed'

Aymeric Laporte has said he questioned his luck after suffering a knee injury for Manchester City at the start of the season, just days before potentially making his debut for France. 

The centre-back—who recently returned to training—had been called up for his country's 2020 European Championship qualifiers against Albania and Andorra, but the defender damaged his right knee in the 4-0 win over Brighton & Hove Albion on August 31.

Speaking to French football show Telefoot (via Tom Coast of Sport Witness), Laporte said the injury was just unfortunate:

"When it happened, in my head, the truth was I thought 'Surprise, surprise.' The day before I'm meant to be going with the France national team, blam ... I wouldn't say I'm cursed, but maybe it was misfortune. You ask yourself a bit 'Why?'

"No one knows, but I'm back, I'm happy. All is well. I don't have any pain, so I'm ready and back on the attack."

The Sky Blues captured Laporte for a club-record £57 million from Athletic Bilbao in January 2018, and Pep Guardiola reshaped his defence around the Frenchman.

Laporte's ball-carrying talent quickly saw him develop as a mainstay in the City starting XI, and the club won consecutive Premier League titles.

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It's no surprise City have slipped away from their lofty standards without Laporte this term, and the defender's importance has been underlined during a disappointing campaign for the star-studded team.

City have lost six league games this season, handing undefeated Liverpool control at the summit of the division, with Jurgen Klopp's side 22 points clear of Guardiola's men.

Laporte is now back in training as he attempts to regain fitness, but Guardiola has made it clear he will not rush the defender's availability after his serious injury.

According to Tyrone Marshall of the Manchester Evening News, Guardiola explained Laporte is on the path to a full recovery:

"He's training every day, he feels no pain and after training he feels good, [but] I don't know when he'll be ready to play some minutes.

"I'm not the doctor, what I see on the pitch is he moves well, his movement, for four or five months, he's not a small guy like [Raheem] Sterling, who recovers quickly, but he moves really well and we'll see what the doctor says about when he's going to play."

Fernandinho has deputised at centre-back in Laporte's absence, with Nicolas Otamendi favoured as his partner, but City have lacked defensive quality for the entire season.

The Premier League title appears to have gone. However, there's all to play for in the UEFA Champions League. City are desperate to add Europe's biggest club prize to their honours, and Laporte can play a huge part in any future European success.