Kovacic not recognized

Kovacic's appearance has changed.

The 31-year-old midfielder missed almost the entire first half of the season due to a long injury list, playing just four minutes of Premier League football. Kovacic had surgery on his Achilles tendon before the FIFA Club World Cup, made a brief return in October, then suffered a relapse, requiring a second operation. Pep Guardiola also revealed he had an additional ankle problem, making his recovery more complicated than expected.

In a photo posted on Instagram Story, Kovacic showed off his bandaged leg and said he was “happy to be back at the club headquarters”. But what stirred up the online community was not the injury, but the Croatian midfielder’s never-before-seen long curly hair. The image spread on Man City fan accounts and quickly became a topic of discussion.

“Who is this?”, “Looks more like Cillian Murphy than Kovacic”, many comments on X expressed surprise. The star, who had been associated with neat short hair for most of his career, has now changed his hairstyle, leaving many fans unrecognizable.

Guardiola said Kovacic will be out for several more months and Man City are only hoping he can return at the end of the season. Croatia coach Zlatko Dalic also expressed concern that the midfielder faces the risk of missing the 2026 World Cup, although he still believes Kovacic is capable of returning in the March training camp.

For Man City, Kovacic's return is important in the context of the squad suffering many losses. For fans, the new image of the Croatian midfielder has become an interesting highlight in the period when he struggled with injuries.

Source: https://znews.vn/khong-nhan-ra-kovacic-post1605920.html