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Midfielder Kevin de Bruyne is a doubt for Manchester City’s Champions League Group C match against Dinamo Zagreb on Tuesday after he missed a training session on Monday.
De Bruyne, 28, has featured in all of City’s Premier League and Champions League games this season but was substituted towards the end of their3-1 away win over Everton on Saturday.
Brazilian Fernandinho, 34, is set to continue in central defense in the absence of John Stones (thigh injury) and Aymeric Laporte (knee).
“If he is fit he can play [twice a week]. When Stones is back we will have an alternative, “said Guardiola.
Dinamo Zagreb are top of Group C, with Manchester City second after their ope ning group matches.
The Croats, who are second in their domestic league, beat Italian side Atalanta 4-0, while
City won 3-0 away at Shakhtar Donetskearlier this month.
“To play five at the back and score four goals [against Atalanta] is not bad,” added Guardiola.
“They are aggressive and with long balls to the strikers, they are so strong. We have to be careful. “
Guardiola also praised forward Riyad Mahrez, who scored against Shakhtar Donetsk and also in the win at Everton.
“He’s been so decisive, clinical,” said the City boss. “Defensively his commitment is higher this season and offensively every time he has the ball you have a feeling he is going to create something.
“Hopefully he can maintain that level for a long time.”
Head-to-head stats
- This will be Manchester City’s first encounter with Dinamo Zagreb in European competition and their first ever such meeting with a Croatian side.
- Pep Guardiola has won both of his Champions League matches against Dinamo Zagreb as manager, winning 5-0 and 2-0 with Bayern Munich in the 2015 – 16 group stage.
Manchester City stats
- Manchester City have won their last four Champions League home games by an aggregate score of 19 – 4; they have never won five in a row in the competition. Indeed, City have lost only one of their last 11 home group stage matches (won nine, drawn one, lost one).
- Manchester City’s 3-0 win over Shakhtar Donetsk was Pep Guardiola’s 30 th managerial Champions League win by three or more goals – only Carlo Ancelotti (32 wins) has more by that margin in the history of the competition.
- Against Shakhtar Donetsk, Man City’s Gabriel Jesus scored his ninth Champions League goal – should he score in this game , he would be the youngest Brazilian ( (years) days) to reach 10 Champions League goals and youngest South American since Lionel Messi (21 Years (days (in October) .
- Riyad Mahrez has been directly involved in seven goals in seven Champions League appearances for Man City (two goals, five assists), including a goal and an assist on matchday one against Shakhtar Donetsk.
Dinamo Zagreb stats
- Dinamo Zagreb have never won away from home against English teams in all competitions in Europe, losing five of their seven trips to England (drawn two).
- Dinamo Zagreb are winless in their last 15 Champions League away matches (drawn two, lost 13), losing each of the last 12. No side has ever lost 13 consecutive away games in the Champions League (Spartak Moscow also lost 12 between October 2000 and October 2006).
- Dinamo Zagreb ended a run of 11 consecutive Champions League losses with victory over Atalanta on matchday one, only once have they won in successive games in the competition (back-to-back wins in November 1998).
- Mislav Orsic’s hat-trick on his Champions League debut for Dinamo Zagreb against Atalanta was the first hat-trick scored for a Croat team in the competition. Only two Croats have scored in their first two appearances in the competition – Alen Boksic in November 1992 for Marseille and Nikola Vlasic in 2018 for CSKA Moscow.
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