Kyle Walker has been named in Manchester City's starting lineup for the second leg of their Champions League semi-final with Real Madrid on Wednesday night.
The 31-year-old has missed the last five games due to an ankle injury, but he trained with the first-team squad on Tuesday and Pep Guardiola has decided to hand the experienced defender a start from the off at the Santiago Bernabeu.
After missing the thrilling 4-3 first-leg victory at the Etihad Stadium last week due to suspension, Joao Cancelo also returns to the first XI and will play at left-back, while Ruben Dias and Aymeric Laporte retain their places at centre-back.
🔵 #UCL 𝗧𝗘𝗔𝗠 𝗡𝗘𝗪𝗦 🔵
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XI | Ederson, Walker, Dias (C), Laporte, Cancelo, Rodrigo, De Bruyne, Bernardo, Mahrez, Jesus, Foden
SUBS | Steffen, Carson, Ake, Sterling, Gundogan, Grealish, Zinchenko, Fernandinho, Egan-Riley, Palmer, McAtee, Lavia#ManCity pic.twitter.com/x673mIr531
Kevin De Bruyne and Bernardo Silva both began on the substitutes' bench for the 4-0 Premier League win over Leeds United last weekend, but the playmakers return to the starting lineup tonight, joining Rodri in centre-midfield.
Riyad Mahrez was also rested at the weekend, but the Algerian will start on the right flank against Real Madrid, joining Phil Foden and Gabriel Jesus in attack, the latter of whom has scored seven goals in his last six games across all competitions.
Nathan Ake, Ilkay Gundogan, Jack Grealish and Raheem Sterling, who all started against Leeds, have been dropped to the bench, joining the likes of Fernandinho, who is celebrating his 37th birthday today.
Oliver Thomas
