Kyle Walker handed three-game European ban for red card against RB Leipzig
The defender will sit out both legs of Manchester City’s last-16 tie with Sporting Lisbon.
Manchester City defender Kyle Walker has been handed a three-game Champions League ban following his dismissal against RB Leipzig in December.
The England international received a straight red card in the final group game for an off-the-ball kick on Portuguese striker Andre Silva.
It was a decision even Pep Guardiola agreed with at the time, as City went on to lose the game 2-1 - their one and only loss since October.
Dominik Szoboszlai and Silva scored in either halves before Riyad Mahrez netted in the final 15 minutes of a relatively meaningless game for City, who were guaranteed to finish top regardless of the score.
However, Uefa have now opted to extend Walker’s suspension to three games due to the excessive nature of the foul. It means the ex-Tottenham Hotspur man will sit out the upcoming Champions League last-16 double header against Sporting Lisbon, with the games scheduled for 15 February and 9 March respectively.
The Daily Mail’s Jack Gaughan is also reporting that City won’t appeal the decision.
Walker’s three-game suspension also means he will miss the first leg of the quarter-finals, should the English champions progress to that stage.
Full-back has been a problem position for Guardiola this season with just three-first choice options available to him, and John Stones and Nathan Ake have at times been forced to provide cover in the wide areas. Joao Cancelo and Oleksandr Zinchenko are likely to play at full-back in Walker’s absence.
The Blues are next in action on Saturday 5 February when they face Fulham in the fourth round of the FA Cup, before hosting Brentford in the Premier League four days later.