Pep Guardiola gives Phil Foden injury update after Man City star forced off v Real Madrid

Pep Guardiola has played down the injury concerns surrounding Phil Foden, after the Manchester City star was forced off in the second half of Tuesday’s Champions League tie against Real Madrid.

The last two winners of the competition played out another pulsating encounter in the quarter-final first leg, with the score finishing 3-3 at the Bernabeu. Bernardo Silva netted an audacious free-kick after just 108 seconds, but City were 2-1 down less than 12 minutes later after a Ruben Dias own-goal and Rodrygo’s breakaway strike handed Los Blancos the advantage.

Foden got City back on level terms in the second period as he fired in a fifth European goal of the season when he beat Andriy Lunin from distance, before Josko Gvardiol picked an optimum time to score a first City goal as he smashed in a right-footed shot from outside the box.

There was another twist to the story as Federico Valverde volleyed in a sixth goal of the night to tie up proceedings and set up a perfectly poised second leg next week. Foden’s withdrawal in the latter stage was the final moment of drama, a worrying incident for City given the England international’s imperial form and the illness which ruled out Kevin De Bruyne in the Spanish capital.

Yet Guardiola played down the severity of the problem in his post-match interview. “It was a knock and he was grumpy with me because I make the substitution,” the former Barcelona boss told TNT Sports. “But he makes another fantastic goal.”

Asked about Gvardiol’s contribution, Guardiola added: “We were lucky that he is with us and could play today because otherwise it so difficult because we didn’t have players in the back. 

“He makes an incredible effort and, not just the goal, he played really good. He is an amazing guy and we are so happy to have him.”