Pep Guardiola will once again have to manage his Manchester City squad ahead of Wednesday’s Champions League quarter-final second leg.
The Premier League champions travel to Atletico Madrid after winning last week’s reverse fixture 1-0, and are favourites to progress to the next stage.
But the game is sandwiched in between two enormous meetings with Liverpool, and Guardiola will be wary of his relatively small squad suffering from burnout.
In that regard, he did have some positive news on Tuesday, with confirmation that Ruben Dias is nearing a return following a hamstring injury.
The Portugal international is part of the group that will travel to Madrid for the second leg at the Wanda Metropolitano, but Guardiola said the 24-year-old is not quite fit enough to start.
Meanwhile, the Catalan confirmed Cole Palmer, who hasn’t played since January, could also be part of the group that flies to Madrid.
But one player who won’t be involved is Gabriel Jesus, with the striker suspended after picking up a third European booking of the campaign last week.
That means City will make at least one change from the side which started against Liverpool, while Guardiola must choose whether to reinstate Jack Grealish and Riyad Mahrez back into the team, with the pair both starting on the bench on Sunday.
Here’s how we think the visitors will line-up at the Wanda Metropolitano…
But the game is sandwiched in between two enormous meetings with Liverpool, and Guardiola will be wary of his relatively small squad suffering from burnout.
5. Joao Cancelo
Nathan Ake played at left-back last week and is an option to do so again at the Wanda Metropolitano. However, Cancelo has been Guardiola’s preferred choice this season.
6. Rodri
Returns to his former club for the first time since departing in 2019, and will have a real battle against Atletico’s dogged midfield.
7. Kevin De Bruyne
Scored in the first leg and is enjoying a rich vein of form. The Belgian will have to find the slimmest of gaps in Atletico’s defence and try to exploit them.
8. Bernardo Silva
Played a different role against Liverpool, but is expected to be deployed in a higher position when City take on Atletico.