Manchester City head to Real Madrid tonight for the second leg of their Champions League semi-final tie, and have Kyle Walker back in their starting line-up.
The experienced right-back has been sidelined since suffering an ankle injury in the last-eight goalless draw with Atletico last month, missing each of the last five matches across all competitions.
But Walker starts in the decisive return fixture against Real at the Bernabeu, having resumed training the day before the game. Manager Pep Guardiola said yesterday he would make a late decision.
“Kyle trained today and he will travel,” Guardiola said on Tuesday. “[On Wednesday] we will decide - he is three weeks without training but we are happy he is back.”
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City’s full-back options suddenly look a lot healthier, with Joao Cancelo also back after being suspended for the seven-goal classic at the Etihad last week for picking up his third booking of the competition against Atletico.
Guardiola is though still without John Stones, who returned from injury in a surprise right-back role against Real before limping off in the first half and remaining sidelined for Saturday’s 4-0 Premier League demolition of Leeds at Elland Road.
Phil Foden, Gabriel Jesus and Riyad Mahrez start in the front three for City - Mahrez in particular will be looking to be more clinical in front of goal than he was last week.
Starting XI: Ederson, Walker, Dias, Laporte, Cancelo, Rodrigo, De Bruyne, Bernardo, Mahrez, Jesus, Foden
Subs: Steffen, Carson, Ake, Sterling, Gundogan, Grealish, Zinchenko, Fernandinho, Egan-Riley, Palmer, McAtee, Lavia
Wednesday 8pm BST, BT Sport
Venue: Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid
