Pep Guardiola teases Man City star’s debut in Champions League clash against Sevilla

Pep Guardiola could hand new signing Manuel Akanji his Manchester City debut on Tuesday evening in their Champions League Group Stage opener against Sevilla.

The Sky Blues will travel to the Spanish side in hope of beginning their European campaign with a bang.

Akanji joined City on deadline day from Borussia Dortmund for a reported £15m and is yet to feature for Guardiola’s team.

The Swiss international was absent for the Sky Blues 1-1 draw with Aston Villa on Saturday due to his wife giving birth to their second child.

However, he could feature against Sevilla on Tuesday after Kyle Walker was substituted late-on against Villa due to injury.

When asked whether Akanji will travel with his teammates to Spain for their Champions League opener, Guardiola said: “I think so. He feels good.

“He couldn’t be here [against Aston Villa] because he had a baby born, so congratulations to him, his wife and family.

“[But] he is ready, he came back really well from Dortmund.

“He’s trained one day. Friday afternoon he flew to his wife.

“I think today [Saturday] or tomorrow [Sunday] he is coming back to Manchester.”

Akanji is vastly experienced in playing in the Champions League having made a combined 29 appearances in the competition for former clubs Dortmund and Basel.

The 27-year-old, who has represented Switzerland on 41 occasions, will provide competition at centre-back with the City already having Ruben Dias, Aymeric Laporte, John Stones and Nathan Ake in that position.

Ake returned to action against Villa on Saturday after several weeks out, while Laporte remains unavailable after having knee surgery this summer.