Guardiola Urges Injury-Hit Manchester City to Rise for Champions League Clash Against Sporting

Posted : 05 November 2024

Pep Guardiola has acknowledged that Manchester City may face significant challenges in overcoming a growing injury crisis, yet he urged the team to rally for their upcoming Champions League match against Sporting Lisbon. City will be looking to bounce back after recent defeats, first to Tottenham in the League Cup and then to Bournemouth in the Premier League, which ended an impressive 11-month unbeaten run. Guardiola stressed that this rough patch will test his squad’s resilience as they seek to regain momentum.

City’s injury list includes several key players, most notably Ballon d'Or winner Rodri, who is sidelined for the rest of the season with a knee injury. Guardiola’s lineup will also be without Ruben Dias, Oscar Bobb, Jack Grealish, and John Stones. Although Kevin De Bruyne might make a return after a seven-week absence, he is not expected to start. Additionally, Kyle Walker, Nathan Ake, Manuel Akanji, Jeremy Doku, and Savinho are all carrying various injuries, leaving City with a depleted squad for Tuesday's clash in Lisbon.

In his pre-match press conference, Guardiola reflected on City’s past successes, citing their six Premier League titles in the last seven years, but admitted that this season’s injuries have presented a new obstacle. "We know we will struggle," he admitted, explaining that past seasons had seen fewer challenges of this nature. Guardiola will also face Sporting Lisbon manager Ruben Amorim, who is soon set to take over as Manchester United’s head coach. Reflecting on Sporting’s steady progression under Amorim, Guardiola praised their consistent performance, including winning the league twice in recent years.

Bernardo Silva, who scored twice when City defeated Sporting in their last Champions League encounter in 2021, echoed Guardiola's sentiments on facing adversity. Despite the numerous injuries, Silva urged his teammates to avoid excuses, highlighting City’s strength in depth. “We’re missing a lot of incredible players, but this club never makes excuses,” Silva said. Both City and Sporting enter the match in strong form within the Champions League, each with seven points from three matches under the tournament’s new format.

Guardiola Urges Injury-Hit Manchester City to Rise for Champions League Clash Against Sporting

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