Manchester City’s hopes of advancing in the Champions League took a hit on Tuesday night, as they suffered a 3-2 defeat to Real Madrid in the first leg of their round of 16 playoff tie.
To make matters worse, the Citizens also lost two key players to injury, with Manuel Akanji and Jack Grealish forced off in the first half.
Guardiola’s Injury Concerns
Speaking to Amazon Prime Video Sport, Pep Guardiola expressed uncertainty about the extent of Akanji and Grealish’s injuries, saying: “I don’t know yet, but if they have gone out for muscular reasons, maybe they will not be there [for the second leg].”
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The potential absence of these two players could significantly impact City’s chances of overturning the deficit in the second leg.
A Challenging Task Ahead
City will need to win away at the Bernabeu to advance, a task that will be even more daunting without Akanji and Grealish.
The Citizens will have to adopt a more aggressive approach in the second leg, which could leave them vulnerable to Real Madrid’s counter-attacks.
City’s Injury Woes
The injuries to Akanji and Grealish add to City’s growing list of fitness concerns. Nathan Ake only recently returned from a six-game absence due to injury and was substituted after 61 minutes in an apparent effort to manage his playing time.
With the second leg just around the corner, City’s squad will be stretched to the limit.
