Pep Guardiola has warned that Manchester City will struggle with a growing injury crisis but urged the English champions to rally for their Champions League match against Sporting Lisbon on Tuesday.
City heads to Portugal after back-to-back losses to Tottenham in the League Cup and Bournemouth in the Premier League, ending an 11-month unbeaten run. Key players are sidelined, with Ballon d’Or winner Rodri out for the season due to a knee injury, and notable absences include Oscar Bobb, Ruben Dias, Jack Grealish, and John Stones.
Kevin De Bruyne may make his first appearance in seven weeks, but he’s unlikely to start, and Kyle Walker, Nathan Ake, Manuel Akanji, Jeremy Doku, and Savinho are not fully fit.
“You know the situation with Rodri, nominated the best player in the world,” Guardiola said in Monday’s pre-match press conference. “We know we will struggle, and we have to accept that.”
Guardiola will face future Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim, who currently leads Sporting for one of his final matches before his transition to Old Trafford. The two teams last clashed in the 2021/22 Champions League round of 16, where City dominated with a 5-0 win on aggregate.
“They have changed players but kept the same manager and mentality,” Guardiola added, recognizing Sporting’s enduring challenge.
