Kyle Walker hasn't given up hope on playing for Manchester City again this season.
Walker has struggled with ankle problems over the past month after initially picking up an injury in the Champions League quarter-final second leg against Atletico Madrid. The ailment ruled him out of City's two following Premier League fixtures as well as the first leg of the semi-final against Real Madrid.
The right-back remained sidelined for the following weekend's fixture but fought to return to action for the second leg against Los Blancos, with his side having suffered at the hands of Vinicius Jr in his absence at the Etihad. Walker started the match and put in an incredible display but unfortunately suffered another injury to the same ankle and again had to be removed early.
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Without him on the pitch, Pep Guardiola's side somehow conspired to throw away their commanding position and were eliminated in heart-breaking fashion. However, City have responded well by picking up two statement victories since to put themselves in pole position to clinch the title — even without Walker.
Guardiola had ruled the 31-year-old out for the rest of the season due to the injury but he hasn't called an end to his season just yet.
"It's alright, it's alright," he told 5Live when asked how his ankle was. "I wouldn't say it's perfect, obviously it's had two very bad injuries in two games but I'm hoping.
"I've still got hope until the end of the season, until that whistle goes in 90 minutes at the Etihad against Aston Villa, that's when I'll say my season is over and have a little bit of a rest.
"Well, a week hopefully before I join up with England but I've still got hope for tomorrow, I've still got hope for next week, as I say, until the season's done I'll [not] be done."
Walker then explained how he went into the match against Madrid without having any time on the training field.
"It was massive, it was massive," he said on the risk of playing the match without being fully recovered. "I'm not talking behind anyone's back while I'm saying this but I did no training.
"I walked straight on from the physio bench straight into the Bernabeu and played football. As a professional and in them games you don't want to miss out on it. I feel that I could give something to the team to definitely help stop the winger [Vinicius] that was causing a lot of problems and had a lot of pace.
"When I was on the field I thought I did okay, I didn't really feel 100 per cent and comfortable in doing what I normally do on the field but I felt I did my job as well as I could. After the ankle twist, it was better someone else came on rather than me carry on through injury."
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