Team News: Kyle Walker misses out, John Stones starts for Manchester City against Real Madrid

John Stones has been passed fit to start for Manchester City for the first leg of their Champions League semi-final with Real Madrid on Tuesday night.

The 27-year-old was doubtful with a muscle injury heading into the showdown at the Etihad Stadium, but Pep Guardiola has named the defender in his starting lineup.

Kyle Walker, however, misses out as he continues to recover from an ankle problem and with Joao Cancelo also absent due to suspension, Stones is set to start at right-back, joining Ruben Dias, Aymeric Laporte and Oleksandr Zinchenko in the back four.

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XI | Ederson, Stones, Dias (C), Laporte, Zinchenko, Rodrigo, De Bruyne, Bernardo, Mahrez, Foden, Jesus

SUBS | Steffen, Carson, Ake, Sterling, Gundogan, Grealish, Fernandinho, Egan-Riley, Mbete, Palmer, McAtee, Lavia#ManCity pic.twitter.com/9mNWYwXigB

— Manchester City (@ManCity) April 26, 2022

Guardiola has made a total of four changes from the side which beat Watford 5-1 in the Premier League on Saturday, with Bernardo Silva, Phil Foden and Riyad Mahrez all returning to the first XI.

Bernardo replaces Fernandinho in centre-midfield, and the Portuguese playmaker will be joined in the middle of the pitch by Rodri and Kevin De Bruyne.

Gabriel Jesus, who scored four goals against Watford, keeps his place in attack, with Foden and Mahrez completing the front three, meaning Jack Grealish and Raheem Sterling both drop to the substitutes' bench.

Ilkay Gundogan and Nathan Ake have also been named on the bench, as have academy quintet Cole Palmer, James McAtee, Romeo Lavia, Conrad Egan-Riley and Luke Mbete.