Manchester City playmaker Kevin De Bruyne was replaced in the starting line-up for the Champions League quarter-final first leg clash at Real Madrid on Tuesday due to illness.
Mateo Kovacic comes in for the Belgian, who asked to pull out of the team shortly before kick-off after being sick.
He is listed among the substitutes.
“He feels unwell.
“We had a meeting and he was ready and when he arrived here in the locker room he started to vomit. He said ‘I’m not ready,” Guardiola told TNT Sports
Guardiola also opted to stick with Stefan Ortega in goal to face the record 14-time winners, with Ederson on the bench after recently returning from a thigh injury.
Josko Gvardiol is fit to start at left-back for City while Manuel Akanji plays on the right of the defence in place of injured captain Kyle Walker at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Erling Haaland leads the line for the Premier League champions with able support from Phil Foden, Jack Grealish and Bernardo Silva.
Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti opted to deploy Aurelien Tchouameni at the heart of defence alongside Antonio Rudiger, selecting him over natural center-back Nacho Fernandez.
Madrid’s top scorer Jude Bellingham joins Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo Goes in attack, with Los Blancos looking to avenge their thrashing by City in last season’s semi-finals.
Line ups:
Real Madrid (4-4-2)
Andriy Lunin; Dani Carvajal (capt), Antonio Rudiger, Aurelien Tchouameni, Ferland Mendy; Eduardo Camavinga, Toni Kroos, Fede Valverde, Jude Bellingham; Rodrygo Goes, Vinicius Junior
Coach: Carlo Ancelotti (ITA)
Manchester City (4-2-3-1)
Stefan Ortega; Manuel Akanji, John Stones, Ruben Dias (capt), Josko Gvardiol; Rodri Hernandez, Mateo Kovacic; Bernardo Silva, Phil Foden, Jack Grealish; Erling Haaland
Coach: Pep Guardiola (ESP)
Referee: Francois Letexier (FRA)
AFP
