In an unexpected turn of events, a Manchester City player arrived at the team’s hotel in Madrid just hours before their crucial Champions League match against Real Madrid.
The timing raised a few eyebrows, given the importance of the match, with Pep Guardiola’s side needing a victory to keep their European campaign alive.
Man City Faces Must-Win Situation After Defeat at Etihad
Man City is in a tough spot, facing the daunting task of overturning a one-goal deficit after a 3-2 loss at home to Real Madrid last week.
The defeat has left them fighting to stay in the competition, with the stakes higher than ever.
Erling Haaland’s two goals were not enough to secure a win, as Jude Bellingham scored a late goal to hand the advantage to Carlo Ancelotti’s men.
Guardiola’s Team Faces an Uphill Battle for the Round of 16 Spot
With only one game left to determine their fate, Man City must win at the Bernabeu to advance to the round of 16. Guardiola, however, acknowledged the enormity of the challenge ahead, stating that their chances of qualification are “just one per cent.”
Despite this, the manager is urging his team to give their all.
“You have to make an almost perfect game,” Guardiola said in his pre-match press conference.
He emphasized the need for courage and a strong mentality in the face of immense pressure, adding that how the team handles the big moments will ultimately decide their fate.
Abdukodir Khusanov’s Late Arrival Raises Eyebrows
As the team prepared for the important clash, there was some buzz about one player’s late arrival.
New January signing Abdukodir Khusanov was spotted arriving at the team hotel at 12:40 AM, just hours before the match.
The Uzbek defender, who had been included in Guardiola’s squad for the game, was filmed by Spanish program El Chiringuito entering the hotel, prompting questions about whether everything was alright with him.
Despite the late timing, Khusanov appeared to be in good health and had arrived safely, though his late arrival did catch some attention.
Since his £33 million move from Lens last month, the defender has yet to feature in City’s European lineup but has played regularly in the Premier League.
Just this past weekend, he started in City’s dominant 4-0 win over Newcastle.
Positive Updates for Man City Ahead of Real Madrid Showdown
On a more positive note, Guardiola confirmed that star striker Erling Haaland, who had been dealing with a knee injury scare following the weekend’s match against Newcastle, trained normally ahead of the clash with Real Madrid.
Additionally, Jack Grealish, Ruben Dias, and Nathan Ake, who missed the weekend’s victory, were all included in the traveling squad.
Guardiola expressed optimism about their availability, saying, “They’ve traveled.
We’ll see how they are, but it’s good news they are here.”
The team is hoping these key players will be at full strength for the critical match at the Bernabeu, with their European future hanging in the balance.
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