Pep Guardiola: 'Ruben Dias could feature against Atletico Madrid'

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has revealed that Ruben Dias could be involved in the second leg of their Champions League quarter-final with Atletico Madrid on Wednesday.

The 24-year-old centre-back has been sidelined since March 1 with a hamstring injury, but he has since returned to first-team training this week and has been included in City's 27-man travelling squad.

Speaking to the press ahead of their trip to the Spanish capital, Guardiola has confirmed that Dias will not start in midweek but admits that he could feature off the bench.

"Dias travels with us, the rest all are fit," Guardiola said on Tuesday. "From the beginning no. Maybe tomorrow (Dias will play), I don't know. He makes only one training session after six weeks off.

"The fact he's back is incredible and we have a big schedule until the end of the season. Everyone will be important."

Academy graduate Cole Palmer has also returned to training after recovering from a foot injury which he sustained in January, but Guardiola has revealed that the midfielder is unlikely to travel with the first-team squad to Madrid.

"[Palmer is feeling] much better, I don't think he travels," Guardiola added. "Yesterday he feels better, but we'll see. If he's better he'll travel. We try to avoid surgery, he's better. He couldn't play more because of injury."

Guardiola has also spoken about Fernandinho's decision to leave Man City at the end of the season, after he was left surprised when hearing that the veteran midfielder would not be extending his contract.

The Citizens will take a slender 1-0 advantage to the Wanda Metropolitano after Kevin De Bruyne scored the only goal in the first leg at the Etihad Stadium last Tuesday.