Pep Guardiola was full of praise for Real Madrid after learning Manchester City’s Champions League draw – declaring it a ‘tradition’ that the two sides meet after three knockout meetings in as many years.. City were beaten in heartbreaking fashion two years ago at the Bernabeu before producing one of the all-time great Champions League performances last season to reach the final. The third installment of an epic trilogy has been booked in for next month, with City holding home advantage for the second leg in a bid to reach the semi-finals again.. Guardiola also spoke about Jack Grealish’s injury and what he must do to rediscover his best form, adding that ‘we need him’ for the run-in. However, Grealish’s return to training appears to clash with his omission from the England squad.. ALSO READ: Man City given one huge injury boost but two players will miss Newcastle amid Kevin De Bruyne issue. ALSO READ: ‘From now on’ – Pep Guardiola challenges Man City fans after Manchester United atmosphere. Intriguing Grealish question. Guardiola confirmed that – as expected – Ederson and Kevin De Bruyne would miss the Newcastle game and then be assessed to face Arsenal on Easter Sunday. Jack Grealish had initially been expected to be absent until the same week, but has recovered ahead of schedule to put himself in contention to face Newcastle.. “We have a game and then two weeks where he will work hard and clever as possible to be ready when we come back,” he said. “The muscle isn’t a muscle a hamstring. The doctor said it’s not a big influence, that’s why the recovery is quicker. But he trained the last two or three days really good. He feels good and positive. Tomorrow maybe we’ll need him and then especially these two weeks to work well and come back. Then we can have the Jack that unfortunately this season we had few, few times. And he can help us.”. That raises an interesting question, though. If Grealish has been training for three days, why was he omitted from the England squad on Thursday. Harry Maguire and Ben Chilwell were included, with Gareth Southgate admitting that: “Both are back in training, so we have to see how that goes. We obviously have contingency plans in other areas in the pitch. Some are in under-21s – the likes of Kobbie Mainoo, Harvey Elliott, Rico Lewis, Archie Gray at Leeds.”. If there are contingency plans for two unfit defenders – including a potential call-up for City defender Lewis – why was Grealish not afforded the same opportunity to play in the two internationals this month? Does that suggest he is not fully fit, or whether his longer-term fitness is being managed like De Bruyne’s?. Champions League draw confusion. Txiki Begiristain looked how most City fans did when City were paired with Real Madrid in the quarter-final draw, not quite managing to maintain a poker face. As he later said – why can’t City go and win again – but it’s hardly the tie City would have chosen.. And when City were drawn to play Real second in their particular tie, the general assumption was that the first leg would be at the Bernabeu given the Spanish side came out first and that is how the draw works. But UEFA draw icon Giorgio Marchetti mentioned that the home and away legs were still to be decided – presumably because Atletico Madrid remained in the draw and were subsequently drawn out first in their tie vs Borussia Dortmund. Could both play at home in Madrid on the same night or week?. City were calm about the potential for the away leg to be switched, which it was. The Blues will visit Madrid on Tuesday April 9, with Atleti hosting Dortmund the following day. City’s games will take place on the same night as Arsenal’s clashes with Bayern Munich – which will likely annoy British broadcasters who will have both of their representatives play on the same night across the two weeks of the quarter-finals.. Loan deal finally announced. A month-and-a-half after the January transfer window closed, a City loan deal was announced this week. Young forward Ben Knight – who played for the first team in the 2021 Community Shield defeat to Leicester – has had a nightmare couple of years with injury. A loan move to Crewe looked promising until another injury setback, and he spent the first half of the current season injured again.. A deal was arranged for Knight to train with Stockport – who train at City’s old complex at Carrington – but the loan was kept under wraps until Knight was fit to play. Announced this week after being registered at Edgeley Park in January, Stockport Director of Football Simon Wilson said: “Ben initially came to train with us in the summer, but unfortunately had a setback very early in the training period which meant we couldn’t get a full look at him.. “All parties agreed to re-look at things on his return and so, after he had worked very hard with City to rehabilitate, in January Ben came back in to train with us again.. “Given his time out we all agreed to take things slow, and although he signed in the January window, we did not want to put pressure on him by making an announcement until we all felt more certain he was ready to play. Now, after six to seven weeks now of steady and measured progress we are delighted to say Ben comes into our group and is available for selection.”. He was not in the Stockport squad at Salford on Thursday, with the Hatters second in League Two, two points behind Mansfield with a game in hand and 10 games left.. City ‘bid’ for Cardiff youngster. According to Wales Online, City have launched a bid in excess of £250,000 for Cardiff teenager Timeo Whisker. The Frenchman can play across the front three, and has reportedly been the subject of an accepted bid by City – although counter-reports suggest nothing has been accepted yet. The 15-year-old has been injured this season, but is now fit, and City have apparently made their move.. Sympathy for Phillips. Kalvin Phillips left City in search of regular minutes in order to keep his England place. After getting the minutes, the midfielder has not enjoyed a good start to life at West Ham and subsequently lost his place in Southgate’s squad. “Unfortunately his form has just not been good enough,” explained Southgate, while still opening the door for a return in time for the Euros.. Guardiola agreed on Friday, saying: “Of course [he can make the Euros], I hope so. He’s an exceptional guy and he needs the minutes that he didn’t get here, and he’s trying to have them in London.”. That’s the most supportive Guardiola has been of Phillips as a player in a long time.
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