NEWS. . . BUT NOT AS YOU KNOW IT
Pep Guardiola expects Kyle Walker and Nathan Ake to be compatible to start Manchester City’s clash against Real Madrid in their Champions League clash.
The European giants managed a 3-3 draw in the first leg of the quarter-finals last week and will overcome the turmoil in Manchester on Wednesday night.
The City captain Walker has missed his side’s last five games after suffering a hamstring injury while on duty in England during last month’s overseas break.
His speed and presence were missed at the Bernabeu, but the 33-year-old returned to training as an unused substitute against Luton Town on Saturday.
Nathan Ake was also among the substitutes that afternoon, having missed the last 3 games due to a calf problem suffered in the draw against Arsenal.
Guardiola will wait until the end of City’s final education consultation before making a final call to the defensive duo, but says he “feels good” and in a position to give a big boost to the final champions’ characteristics at the back.
“I’ll wait and see and in the last one or two sessions I’ll see what it looks like,” Guardiola told a news conference.
“But he looks good, his face, his mood. I don’t know from the bench, from the start [of the game] if he will be with us tomorrow.
“But it’s very smart news. We have the final education at four o’clock in the afternoon and then we will decide. “
Hoping that Walker can start and keep Vinicus Jr quiet in what could be a convincing duel between the two, Guardiola added: “Physically, it’s incredibly important. Everyone knows Kyle’s qualities.
“He wasn’t at the Bernabéu and all the boys were exceptional. But we had a big problem, Nathan wasn’t there, Josko [Gvardiol] was there at the last minute, Kyle wasn’t there. We had some big problems.
“But we’re in a better position. It’s vital that Kyle and Nathan are on the bench [at the weekend] and practice yesterday.
“To be back, to train and to feel smart. And that’s smart news.
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