Kevin De Bruyne remains sidelined with an injury after Pep Guardiola issued an update on the midfielder’s fitness ahead of Manchester City’s Champions League meeting with Sparta Prague.
The 33-year-old has been out of action since being subbed off at halftime of last month’s goalless draw with Inter Milan.
De Bruyne was expected to return after the October international break, but Guardiola says the player has to feel “100 percent” to be able to play and that is not the case at this moment.
Kevin De Bruyne injury latest
“It is not a big issue but he doesn’t feel completely fine,” the Man City boss told his pre-match press conference on Tuesday morning.
“Kevin is not 22 years old any more. He has to be completely fit to play his football. If he doesn’t feel completely comfortable he cannot express his incredible potential at his best. He said to me ‘I don’t feel good’. So if you don’t feel good take your time.”
Kyle Walker will also miss Wednesday’s game as he works towards full fitness after picking up a minor knock while on international duty with England.
Oscar Bobb is expected to return sometime in the new year after fracturing his leg in training in August, while Guardiola admitted his side sorely miss Rodri after he was ruled out for the rest of the season with an ACL injury.
“We would prefer to be all together because we have four important absences, right now with Kevin, Kyle, Rodri and Oscar,” he said.
“Two of them hopefully they come back close. Oscar I think January or February will be ready.
“Rodri we miss a lot but I think all the clubs around the world have similar problems.”
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