Manchester City host Bayern Munich on Tuesday night in the Champions League quarter-final first leg.
Pep Guardiola is all too familiar with the threat Bayern can pose having enjoyed a successful spell as manager between 2013 and 2016. However, the Bundesliga giant's camp also boasts two players who know City very well.
Leroy Sane left the Blues in 2020 and will be hoping for a warm reception from the home fans. Joao Cancelo, on the other hand, left City in January on loan in search of regular football and could receive a mixed response from the Etihad.
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Unusually, despite being contracted to City, Cancelo can play against them for Bayern this evening. MEN Sport has taken a look at why that is.
Why can Cancelo face City?
In UEFA competitions, there is no rule which stops loan players from playing against their parent club. City could have blocked Cancelo's involvement in the quarter-finals when the deal was agreed in January but it is widely understood that no such clause is active.
Who is at risk of suspension?
City defender Manuel Akanji is the only player at risk of suspension for the Blues on Tuesday night. Should he be booked at the Etihad Stadium, he would miss the return leg at the Allianz Arena next week.
Bayern meanwhile have defender Noussair Mazraoui and midfielder Joshua Kimmich at risk this evening.
When are bookings wiped?
Bookings are wiped at the end of the quarter-finals meaning that City players would start afresh from the semi-finals, should they qualify. If Akanji was to escape without a booking at the Etihad but pick up a yellow at the Allianz, he would not miss the semi-final first leg.
Should a player who is on one booking pick up a yellow in both legs of the quarter-final, they will be suspended for the first leg of the last four tie. If a player is yet to accumulate any bookings in the Champions League, they will not be suspended for the semi-finals even if they receive a caution in both last eight legs.
City have several players on one yellow card with Rodri, Julian Alvarez, Ruben Dias, Ilkay Gundogan and Kevin De Bruyne all two bookings away from a ban. Phil Foden is also on one booking but he is not fit to face Bayern on Tuesday.
Do away goals count?
UEFA announced in late June 2021 that the away goals rule was being abolished across all of their club competitions ahead of the 2021/22 season starting. So, now two teams tied on aggregate at the end of 90 minutes in their second leg play another 30 minutes of extra-time and a penalty shootout if required to decide a winner.
Will VAR be in operation?
As has been the case throughout the Champions League, VAR will be in operation for tonight's quarter-final tie.
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