Stefan Ortega will start for Pep Guardiola against Sporting CP because he likes the lively rivalry for spots among his goalkeepers, something the rest of his team is now sorely missing.
Ederson, who has been one of the Blues’ best performers this season, performed admirably at Bournemouth once more to keep City in the game for extended periods of time and put them in a position where they almost nicked a point at the end of the game. However, Guardiola is eager to reward Ortega once again for his devotion to the Blues and his outstanding performances whenever he does play, so he will have to sit on the bench in the Champions League.
John Stones and Ruben Dias are still recovering from the injuries that kept them out of the Bournemouth match, so City will be missing five first-team players for the trip to Sporting. As they attempt to play despite the agony, other players are also performing below their best.
Guardiola stated that “Kevin [De Bruyne] is getting better – he is doing sessions with less discomfort so we sense that he feels more comfortable,” but “Manu [Akanji] and Nathan [Ake] are still experiencing challenges.”
“That is great news for Kyle [Walker], who has had knee issues since playing for the national team, and for all of us. The others: Savinho’s ankle is improving, [Jeremy] Doku has experienced some minor muscle concerns, and everyone else is doing well.”