Manchester City Worried Over Injuries Ahead of Champions League Final Clash with Chelsea
Manchester City face Chelsea in the Champions League final in Portugal on Saturday May 29, but Pep Guardiola could be without as many as four key players for the showpiece.
Pep Guardiola is already worried about the fitness of some of of his key players.
Midfielder Ilkay Gundogan who opened the scoring at the AMEX Stadium after just two minutes saw his involvement ended prematurely as he had to be replaced by Fernandinho early in the second half as Guardiola took no chances.
Luckily, Gundogan was able to walk off the field himself which may come as a relief to the City coaching staff.
Yet, the Germany international’s early departure from the penultimate game of the Premier League season raised concerns ahead of the Champions League final that takes place against Chelsea in less than two weeks.
Speaking after the loss to Brighton, Guardiola explained: “He was injured a little bit. It was a kick, he started the second half and had niggles in his muscle because he couldn’t run properly,” Guardiola revealed. “That’s why we made the substitution.”
The midfielder is not the only injury worry facing Guardiola ahead of the Champions League final.
The Man City matchday squad at the AMEX Stadium did not feature Raheem Sterling, Kyle Walker or Sergio Aguero and as revealed by the club’s official website, the reason for the trio’s absences is because they were not fully fit.
“Raheem Sterling, Kyle Walker and Sergio Aguero are not fully fit,” a statement reads.
What Joao Cancelo’s red card means for Manchester City ahead of Chelsea Champions League final
Manchester City were beaten 3-2 by Brighton & Hove Albion in the Premier League on Tuesday evening and had Joao Cancelo sent-off just ten minutes into the game.
Chelsea will face Aston Villa on Sunday for a final fight for a place in the Premier League top four. Leicester City and Liverpool also remain contenders for slots in the top four and a qualifier for the Champions League at the next season.
