Manchester City will face Arsenal in the League Cup final on Sunday without two key defensive options.
Double Injury Blow: Two City Defenders Ruled Out of Arsenal Cup Final
Manager Pep Guardiola confirmed that defender Josko Gvardiol remains sidelined with an injury and is not ready to return.
In a separate complication, loanee Marc Guehi is cup-tied and cannot feature in the competition for City.
Gvardiol continues his recovery from a setback, and Guardiola revealed the Croatian is still a long way off from rejoining the squad. His absence leaves a significant gap in the left side of the defense.
Meanwhile, Guehi’s ineligibility adds to Guardiola’s headache. The centre-back joined on loan in January but already played in the League Cup for his previous club earlier in the season, ruling him out of the showpiece event.
There is some positive news for the City camp. Rico Lewis returned to the bench during Tuesday’s Champions League clash after missing five games with an ankle injury.
However, Guardiola admitted the young full-back may lack the match sharpness required to start a cup final.
Guardiola did manage to protect several key players during the heavy defeat to Real Madrid. With the tie effectively over at half-time, he withdrew Ruben Dias.
He later substituted Erling Haaland, Matheus Nunes, and Rodri in the second half to save their energy for Sunday.
Though they played periods of the match with ten men, the minutes managed ensured they avoided further fatigue ahead of the Wembley showdown.
Across town, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta faces his own selection puzzles. Mikel Merino will definitely miss the final.
There are also doubts over Martin Odegaard and defender Jurrien Timber, though both have a chance to prove their fitness before the weekend.
On a brighter note, Eberechi Eze should be available despite picking up a knock on Tuesday. Barring any training-ground issues, the Gunners could head into the match with Merino as their only confirmed absentee.
With both sides managing their squads through European exits and domestic battles, there can be few excuses left.
Sunday’s final now promises a fascinating tactical battle, with City forced to reshuffle at the back and Arsenal hoping for late fitness miracles.
