Man City could miss four key first-team players ahead of UCL with Chelsea, as Blues agree terms with Brazilian defender
Manchester City take on Chelsea in the Champions League final later this month and there’s a big chance that Pep Guardiola could be without some really important players for this game.
The Citizens suffered a shock defeat to Brighton and Hove Albion in midweek and the captain for the night, Ilkay Gundogan seems to have picked up an injury.
The midfielder opened the scoring for Manchester City in the second minute of the match but he had to be taken off in the 56th minute and speaking after the match, manager Pep Guardiola revealed that Gundogan has picked up a slight injury.
“He was injured a little bit. It was a kick, he started the second half and had niggles in his muscle because he couldn’t run properly,” Guardiola revealed. “That’s why we made the substitution.”
Apart from this one on-field setback, Man City were also without Raheem Sterling, Kyle Walker and Sergio Aguero and according to the club’s official website, the trio was not fully fit to make it to the matchday squad.
However, Mancity official website, said in one of their pre-match statements: “Raheem Sterling, Kyle Walker, Ilkay Gundogan and Sergio Aguero are not fully fit.”
According to reports, the four players could also miss the Champions league clash with Chelsea if they are not fully fit. Huge boost for us?
Blues agree terms with Brazilian defender
Chelsea have agreed to extend the contract of Thiago Silva for another season, transfer expert Fabrizio Romano claims.
The Brazilian joined the Blues on a free transfer last summer after the expiry of his contract with Paris Saint-Germain.
The 36-year-old has since been a key player for the Blues across all competitions, registering 32 appearances.
Silva’s current deal has an extension clause for another year, and Romano has confirmed that the option has been triggered.
It was a mutual agreement between the club and the player. A formal announcement is due after the Champions League final.
The Blues are third in the Premier League standings with 67 points. They face Aston Villa on the road in the final matchday.
The west London giants may need to win the game to assure themselves of Champions League qualification through the league.
Otherwise, they have another chance of qualifying by beating Manchester City in the Champions League final in Lisbon on May 29.