Due to South American World Cup qualifiers being staged so late in the week, and the Premier League failing to adjust to that, Manchester City were without both their No. 1 and their top choice striker, this past weekend for the win over Burnley.
And with covid-19 protocols complicating these matters further, the Brazilian duo will just join up with the rest of the squad in Belgium, today, on the eve of City’s next UEFA Champions League clash.
Manchester City at Club Brugge UCL Group Stage FYIs
Kickoff: Oct. 19, 5:45pm BST, Jan Breydel Stadium
Manchester City Starting XI Prediction: go here
UCL Standings, Form Guide: Manchester City 3rd, 3pts, LW Club Brugge 2nd, 4pts, WD
Manager Pep Guardiola included both in the officially confirmed travel squad for tomorrow’s European clash.
“The protocols meant, they could not land here,” said Pep. “So we will join them tonight in the hotel and tomorrow they may play, maybe not.
“Then they will come back to Manchester and join the normal routine of daily life. Gabriel and Eddie have been with is for four, five years.”
The only other major piece of team news here revolves around winger Ferran Torres, who is ruled out for the rest of 2021 with a foot injury.
Prediction: Manchester City 2, Club Brugge 1
The Cityzens really really need this one, and I think they’ll respond with a result here.
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank, partnered with News Now. Banks, the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry,” has regularly appeared in WGN, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune.
He co-hosts the After Extra Time podcast. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram.
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