Pep Guardiola acknowledges Manchester City faces a tough road ahead as injuries pile up for the Premier League champions. City, who travel to Portugal for Tuesday’s Champions League match against Sporting Lisbon, recently endured consecutive defeats to Tottenham and Bournemouth, ending an impressive 11-month unbeaten Premier League run. The loss of Ballon d’Or winner Rodri to a season-ending knee injury compounds a mounting injury list, which also includes key players Ruben Dias, Jack Grealish, John Stones, and Oscar Bobb.
Kevin De Bruyne could see limited action after a seven-week absence, but Guardiola tempered expectations, as several others—including Kyle Walker, Nathan Ake, and Manuel Akanji—are also not fully fit. “We know we will struggle, and we have to accept that,” Guardiola remarked. “The games will be difficult; in previous seasons it was smooth. But we’ve won six Premier Leagues in seven years, and things change.”
Tuesday’s match will also pit Guardiola against Sporting manager Ruben Amorim, who is set to take charge at Manchester United soon. The two sides last faced off in the Champions League’s 2021/22 round of 16, with City winning 5-0 in Lisbon and advancing comfortably. Despite City’s current challenges, Guardiola remains respectful of Sporting’s quality, noting the club’s continued success under Amorim.
City midfielder Bernardo Silva, who scored twice in the 5-0 victory in Lisbon two years ago, echoed the manager’s no-excuses mentality. “With a full squad we are stronger, there’s no denying that,” Silva admitted. “But we never find excuses. This club was never about that.” Both Manchester City and Sporting remain unbeaten in the Champions League’s new season, each with seven points from their first three matches.
