Manchester City faced a setback as three key defenders missed training on Monday morning ahead of their crucial Champions League clash against Real Madrid.
According to the BBC’s Simon Stone, Josko Gvardiol, Nathan Ake, and Kyle Walker were absent from the session.
Ake and Walker were already concerns due to their issues during the international break, while Gvardiol’s absence came after he was substituted off during Manchester City’s recent win over Crystal Palace.
Man City’s demanding schedule, including their involvement in a tight Premier League title race with Liverpool and Arsenal, has stretched their squad thin.
The team has faced additional challenges with participation in the Club World Cup in December and competing in multiple competitions simultaneously.
Although Walker and Ake are unlikely to be available for the first leg of the quarterfinal, there is hope that Gvardiol could recover in time.
Pep Guardiola described Gvardiol’s issue as a ‘little problem’ after the Crystal Palace match, as reported by The Standard.
Manchester City, the defending champions of the Champions League, are set to travel to Madrid to face Carlo Ancelotti’s Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu on Tuesday, April 9.