Pep Guardiola and Manchester City are shaking up their lineup for Wednesday’s Champions League showdown by promoting a member of their under-19 squad to the senior team.
The decision comes amid a flurry of injury concerns plaguing Guardiola’s squad ahead of their crucial European fixture. Key players like Kevin De Bruyne and Kyle Walker are already sidelined, with De Bruyne seen training but ruled out, while Walker continues his recovery from a knee injury sustained on international duty.
Adding to Guardiola’s woes, both Jeremy Doku and Jack Grealish were absent from the final training session before facing Sparta Prague, reasons undisclosed.
In response to these absences and ongoing recovery processes for Oscar Bobb and Rodri, Manchester City have opted to bolster their matchday squad at the eleventh hour. Nico O’Reilly, typically with the under-19s, has been elevated to the senior ranks for the encounter at the Etihad Stadium against Sparta Prague, as confirmed by UEFA.
Meanwhile, Manchester City’s youth team prepares for their own UEFA Youth League challenge, with players like Jacob Wright, Jaden Heskey, and Farid Alfa-Ruprecht gearing up for action at the Joie Stadium.
Guardiola’s men are aiming to preserve their unbeaten start in the Champions League and the season overall, following a scoreless draw with Inter and a commanding 4-0 victory over Slovan Bratislava in their last outing.
In contrast, Manchester City’s youth squad enters matchday three of the UEFA Youth League with a mixed record, having suffered a 2-4 defeat to Inter but rebounding with a strong 4-0 win against Bratislava on Slovakian soil.
