Manchester City welcome Sevilla to the Etihad Stadium in their final Champions League group game on Wednesday evening but could be without Manuel Akanji after he appeared to pick up a knock in Saturday’s 1-0 win over Leicester City.
Joe Bray of the Manchester Evening News revealed the 27-year-old was struggling prior to being substituted in the second half and spoke to physios when he came off. Ruben Dias replaced Akanji in the 72st minute and might have to be called upon if the Swiss international has a problem.
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There has been no statement from the club addressing Akanji’s condition, but Pep Guardiola has a pre-match press conference on Tuesday. If there is an issue, he’ll reveal it ahead of the Sevilla clash. And while a blow to lose the 27-year-old, City have plenty of cover if he has to be rested.
Dias or John Stones can start alongside Aymeric Laporte or Nathan Ake at centre-back and City have already sealed their place in the Champions League knockouts as group winners, so Guardiola won’t risk Akanji in Europe if he isn’t 100%.
City’s focus will be on getting a result against Fulham on Saturday and hoping Arsenal slip up away to Chelsea on Sunday so they could end the weekend at the Premier League summit.
In other news, Pep Guardiola reveals when Erling Haaland could return from injury
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