Manchester City's Matija Nastasic suffers injury on Hong Kong pitch

Matija Nastasic

Manchester City and Serbia defender Matija Nastasic, 20, suffered an injury in the final of the pre-season tournament played on a rain soaked pitch – criticised by many teams – in Hong Kong.

City manager Manuel Pellegrini says the club plan to assess the injury later when they return to the UK, but stayed away from blaming the playing surface.

The Chilean manager said: “It is part of the game and could have happened on any pitch.”

“We are concerned but it is better to wait. He received a kick to his ankle and the doctor is seeing what it could be, but it is impossible for him to know.

“The doctor needs to see him when we arrive in Manchester and then we can know what has happened.”

Serbia international Nastasic, who played 76 minutes in the 1-0 win, became the second Premier League defender, after Tottenham’s Jan Vertonghen, to fall victim to torrid conditions after persistent heavy rain at the Hong Kong Stadium.

Meanwhile, Sunderland manager Paolo Di Canio described the surface at Hong Kong Stadium as “a killer pitch”.