Manchester City duo Kevin De Bruyne and Kyle Walker remain huge injury doubts for Saturday’s FA Cup semi-final showdown with rivals Liverpool.
Both players sustained injuries during Wednesday’s ill-tempered Champions League quarter-final second-leg clash with Atletico Madrid in Spain, with De Bruyne pictured with an ice pack on the bench after being hurt in a tackle by Felipe and Walker later seen in a protective boot.
Reports that first emerged on Thursday evening claimed that De Bruyne would miss a second meeting with Liverpool inside six days having scored the opening goal in last weekend’s pulsating 2-2 Premier League draw at Etihad Stadium, with Walker considered unlikely to make it either.
And City boss Pep Guardiola subsequently revealed at his pre-match press conference that neither player had been able to train on Friday, leaving them as major doubts to feature at Wembley.
It has now been confirmed that De Bruyne required stitches for a foot wound after the goalless draw with Atletico that saw City tee up a heavyweight European semi-final tie against Real Madrid, while Walker suffered a twisted ankle.
“They didn’t train today,” Guardiola said on Friday. “We’ll see tomorrow but apparently it’d be so close after what happened on Wednesday.”
Key centre-back Ruben Dias was an unusued substitute for City in Madrid, having returned to the matchday squad for the first time since early March after recovering from a hamstring injury.
Last season’s Premier League Player of the Year is in contention to play some part against Liverpool after training again without issue on Friday.
“He did train today,” Guardiola said. “It was his third session with us.”
The City boss would not be drawn any further on Wednesday’s ugly scenes at the Wanda Metropolitano stadium, where both sets of players clashed on the field and in the tunnel, which could yet lead to Uefa action.
“It’s the past,” Guardiola said. “I’m not talking about it. We have an important game tomorrow.”
