Manchester City are hoping that two of their key defenders, Ruben Dias and Nathan Ake, will recover in time for their crucial UEFA Champions League match against Real Madrid. Both players missed City’s recent Premier League victory over Newcastle, leading to concerns about their availability for the upcoming clash against the Spanish giants. City will be hoping that the absence of these two defensive mainstays does not affect their already slim chances of advancing in the Champions League after a tough first leg in the knockout round.
Ruben Dias, one of the central pillars of Manchester City’s defense, had been sidelined due to fitness concerns. He was unable to complete the full 90 minutes in Manchester City’s 2-1 loss to Real Madrid in the first leg of their Champions League play-off at the Etihad Stadium. Consequently, the manager, Pep Guardiola, decided to leave Dias out of the squad entirely for their Premier League fixture against Newcastle. This decision was made in an effort to allow Dias time to recover, as Guardiola did not want to risk further complications with his key defender’s fitness.
Nathan Ake, another important defensive figure for Manchester City, was also absent from the squad for the Newcastle match. Ake had been struggling with a combination of illness and minor fitness issues. It was a frustrating development for both the player and the team, as Ake had shown his importance to City’s defensive structure throughout the season. However, these ongoing concerns led Guardiola to also leave him out of the squad, hoping that the additional rest would aid Ake’s recovery.
Despite missing out on the Newcastle match, Guardiola expressed hope that both Dias and Ake would be fit enough to take part in the upcoming Champions League tie against Real Madrid in Madrid. With Manchester City facing an incredibly tough task to overturn their deficit from the first leg, having their defensive duo available would provide a significant boost to the team’s chances. Guardiola, however, remained cautious in his optimism, understanding that both players needed time to fully recover.
Guardiola was asked about the availability of both Dias and Ake ahead of the second leg against Madrid, and his response was cautiously optimistic. “I hope so,” Guardiola stated, when asked whether the defenders would be ready in time. He further explained that while Ruben Dias had been eager to play against Newcastle, he felt that he wasn’t fully fit to play a full 90 minutes. Dias himself had acknowledged this, stating that he could manage 15 to 20 minutes but not the entire match. Given the importance of the upcoming Champions League clash, Guardiola made the decision not to take any risks by including Dias in the squad. With a fit and healthy Vitor Reis available as an alternative on the bench, it was clear that Guardiola did not want to jeopardize the player’s recovery.
As for Nathan Ake, the manager explained that the player had been suffering from a sickness bug that had affected his fitness levels. On top of that, Ake had also been dealing with some minor issues that had developed following the first leg of the Champions League tie against Real Madrid. These factors contributed to Ake’s exclusion from the squad for the match against Newcastle, with Guardiola confirming that the Dutch defender was simply not in the right condition to feature.
Although Manchester City secured an impressive 4-0 victory over Newcastle, Guardiola was clear that the win would not significantly alter the reality of their situation in the Champions League. Despite the result being a much-needed confidence boost for the team, Guardiola made it clear that the team still had an incredibly tough task ahead in Madrid, especially considering the 3-2 deficit from the first leg. He admitted that City’s chances of progressing in the competition were still incredibly slim, with the manager stating that he believed their chances were no higher than “one percent.”
While Guardiola acknowledged that the win over Newcastle had lifted the team’s spirits, he also emphasized the reality of the situation. “Of course, the victory helped us,” Guardiola said. “But listen, the margin to win at the Bernabeu in that position, everybody knows that if you ask before the game, the percentage to go through, I don’t know, we arrive at one percent. It will be minimal.” Guardiola’s honesty about the difficulty of the task ahead reflected the daunting nature of facing a team like Real Madrid, especially when they had been handed a disadvantage in the first leg.
Guardiola’s comments highlighted the gulf between the two teams, with Real Madrid’s pedigree in the Champions League far outweighing Manchester City’s relative inexperience in Europe’s elite competition. The Spanish side had once again proven their superiority in the competition, particularly with a dramatic late turnaround in the first leg, and Guardiola was fully aware of how difficult it would be to make up for the loss at home. As City prepare to head to Madrid for the second leg, Guardiola knew that they would need an exceptional performance to have any hope of progressing to the next round.
Guardiola did not mince words when discussing the team’s performances throughout the season, admitting that City had not been at their best and were far from their peak form. “This season, the reality is we have been miles, miles away. We have been really, really poor in performance in the results this season,” Guardiola admitted. It was a rare admission from a manager who typically maintains a level of optimism, but it underscored just how far City had fallen from their usual standards this season. While City had been dominant in the Premier League, their European form had not matched their domestic achievements. Guardiola acknowledged that, despite occasional flashes of brilliance, the team had struggled with consistency in Europe, and that inconsistency was a key reason why their chances of advancing to the Champions League last-16 were so slim.
Guardiola continued, “We have been really, really poor in performance and the results this season, and just for one game, that today, played really good, and it’s not going to change the opinion, the reality that the team, it is right now, and we are still not good in terms of day by day.” Guardiola was effectively telling his players that while the victory over Newcastle was a step in the right direction, it was not enough to erase the broader issues that had plagued the team for much of the season. The manager emphasized that their performance against Newcastle should not change their understanding of the reality that had led them to this point in the Champions League.
Even with the loss in the first leg and their slim chances of progressing, Guardiola remained determined that Manchester City would fight to the end. “With 2-1, it would be different, but with 2-3, the chances is small, but as much as you have a chance, we are going to take it, and we’ll see what happens,” Guardiola explained. His message to his players was clear: while their chances of advancing were minimal, they would not give up without a fight. It was the mentality that Guardiola had instilled in his team over the years – never surrender, always push to the final whistle, no matter how bleak the situation may seem.
Guardiola’s words were a reminder of the unpredictable nature of football. As much as statistics and form could dictate a team’s chances, there was always the possibility of an upset. Guardiola knew that the Bernabeu would be a daunting place to visit, but he also knew that with the right mentality and the right performance, anything could happen. Despite the odds, City had to take their one percent chance and give everything they had in Madrid. The manager’s resolve to fight until the very end was a characteristic that had defined his career, and he was determined to pass that same fighting spirit onto his players.
As the second leg of the Champions League tie against Real Madrid drew closer, Manchester City were still not in the best possible shape. Injuries and illness had taken their toll on the squad, and the odds were stacked against them. However, Guardiola’s belief in his team’s potential remained unwavering. Despite the setbacks, he knew that they still had a chance, no matter how small, to make history. City’s journey in the Champions League had been full of ups and downs, but with a manager like Guardiola at the helm, they would always fight until the final whistle.
As the team prepared for their trip to Madrid, the world would be watching to see whether Manchester City could pull off an incredible comeback. Guardiola’s hope was that, no matter what happened in the game, his team would leave it all on the pitch and give their supporters something to be proud of.
