Guardiola makes big Man City team selection admission vs Real Madrid

The Premier League leaders have a potential defensive injury crisis on their hands for the Real Madrid game.

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola expects to play at least one player out of position to solve his defensive problems against Real Madrid.

The Citizens will play host to Real Madrid in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final clash on Tuesday at the Etihad Stadium, albeit without the services of some key defenders.

Guardiola will give center-back John Stones and full-back Walker until Tuesday morning to prove their fitness. Stones has a hamstring problem, while Walker is out with an injured ankle. Meanwhile, Joao Cancelo is suspended after collecting three yellow cards in Europe this season.

“We have a training session today and see how the players are,” said Guardiola in a pre-match press conference on Monday.

“Tonight, tomorrow, we decide the lineup. I wait for the training session to see how they feel. I’m sure players will play in positions they aren’t used but they will do their best.”

Asked about Stones and Walker, the Catalan said: “They are doubts, they didn’t train for the last week to ten days and John since Brighton. We’ll see how they feel, we’ll speak to them tomorrow and then make the decision.”

At the time of writing, Manchester City are the strong favorites to win the first leg against Real Madrid. Bet365 is offering odds of 1.45 for Guardiola’s men to come out on top. This suggests they have a 69% chance of victory at the Etihad.