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MANCHESTER, England: Manchester City full-back Wayne Bridge will be sidelined for a month after undergoing a hernia operation, his club announced Wednesday.
Bridge, who only returned to action in February following a knee injury suffered in December, was forced off after aggravating the long-standing injury in the first half of City's 1-1 draw at Sunderland on Sunday.
His absence comes just as City gear up for the challenge of securing one of the top four spots in the English Premier League, and with it the chance to play in the Champions League next season.
Thankfully for City, manager Roberto Mancini has several experienced left-backs that can step in to replace Bridge in Spaniard Javier Garrido, Brazilian Sylvinho and the emerging Greg Cunningham.
However the news will prove a bigger blow to England fringe player Bridge.
His comeback game in February, after missing 13 games with a knee injury, was played in the glare of intense media spotlight following allegations of an affair between his former partner Vanessa Perroncel and ex-Chelsea team-mate John Terry.
Bridge subsequently ended any chance he had of playing at the World Cup by announcing he would not accept an invitation from England manager Fabio Capello to play alongside Terry in the England set-up. - AFP/fa
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