Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola will be forced into making at least two changes to his line-up for the Champions League opener with last-16 opponents RB Leipzig.
With a spot in the quarter-finals at stake, over two legs, Premier League champions City resume their push for elusive European honours against the Bundesliga side. However, they will be without Aymeric Laporte and key man Kevin de Bruyne for the first meeting.
As confirmed by Guardiola during his pre-match press conference, both players are missing due to illness. John Stones (hamstring) is their other major absentee as he continues to recover from injury.
READ MORE: Every word from press conference
Algeria forward Riyad Mahrez is almost-certain to come back into the team after he went unused on the subs bench when City were pegged back during their 1-1 draw vs Premier League opponents Nottingham Forest on Saturday afternoon. He should start in place of the absent De Bruyne.
However, there will need to be a minor alteration from Guardiola to accommodate that change, with Mahrez stepping out wide and captain Ilkay Gundogan moving into central areas to provide support for Norway goals machine, Erling Haaland, and his other attack-minded teammates.
Nathan Ake is the prime candidate to come in for Laporte, as long as Guardiola sticks with his wildcard 3-2-4-1 formation which requires Bernardo Silva to operate as an auxiliary left-back when possession has been lost. He will consider further changes, too, after such a frustrating result in their last domestic match.
IN: Nathan Ake, Riyad Mahrez.
OUT: Aymeric Laporte, Kevin de Bruyne.
Manchester City predicted starting XI vs RB Leipzig (3-2-4-1): Ederson; Walker, Dias, Ake; Rodri, Bernardo; Mahrez, Gundogan (capt), Foden, Grealish; Haaland.
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