Champions League: City’s Aymeric Laporte And Kevin De Bruyne Sidelined

Manchester City first team players, Aymeric Laporte, and Kevin de Bruyne will not feature in the club’s UEFA Champions League round of 16 first-leg game against RB Leipzig tonight.

Aymeric Laporte and Kevin de Bruyne didn’t take part in training on Tuesday since they weren’t on the team that was bound to travel to Germany ahead of tonight’s Champions League game. The game will kick off at 21:00.

According to Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola, both players have been ruled out due to illness.

John Stones, a defender who is still recovering from a thigh injury, will also miss the game.

In the absence of De Bruyne, coach Guardiola has named 20-year-old Argentine midfielder, Maximo Perrone who joined the club in January, in the team that traveled to Germany on Tuesday.

The goal of the current Guardiola’s Manchester City team is to become the first group to ever win the UEFA Champions League for the club.

They are attempting to make up ground after suffering a heartbreaking 1-1 draw at Nottingham Forest on Saturday, which put them two points behind Premier League leaders Arsenal.

Guardiola, however, was inspired by his team’s performance despite the outcome.

“Last game against Nottingham was highest standards,” he said ahead of City’s Champions League clash with RB Leipzig.

“I loved the way we play and we don’t win because it’s football. I do not have an answer on what happened in that situation.”