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Rob Dawson, reporter
Manchester, England – Pep Guardiola played down concerns about Erling Haaland’s fitness and hinted that the Manchester City striker will be fit to face Chelsea on Sunday.
Haaland was substituted at half-time during the 6-1 win over Bournemouth on Saturday due to an ankle problem, and is doubtful to face Young Boys in the Champions League on Tuesday. City have important Premier League matches against Chelsea and Liverpool either side of the international break and Guardiola has suggested Haaland could be available.
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“yesterday [Sunday] “He told me he feels much better than he did on the day of the match, but I don’t know. I will listen to the doctors,” Guardiola said in a press conference on Monday. If he says he is ready and not in pain then I will consider him a player [against Young Boys].
“Right now, if Erling can’t play, Julian [Álvarez] You will play there. Julian is very good! “I like him coming in as a striker and he can play both, so we’re really happy.”
Victory over Young Boys would guarantee City a place in the knockout stage of the Champions League for the eleventh successive season. The European champions have reached at least the semi-finals in each of the past three seasons, and Guardiola praised his side’s consistency during a period that has seen all the other top English clubs exit the competition completely at least once.
“It’s unbelievable,” he said. “We want to have the opportunity to finish before February, for the next stage. It means a lot then [Roberto] Mancini and [Manuel] Pellegrini [Guardiola’s predecessors at City.] It’s a success to be there and every time we qualify it’s really good. Hopefully we can finish the job.”
Teenager Rico Luis could start in a third successive Champions League match after impressing against RB Leipzig and the trip away to Young Boys. The 18-year-old made his 30th senior appearance against Bournemouth, but admitted that when he was first brought into the squad, he was in awe of the stars in the dressing room.
“At first it was difficult,” Lewis said. “You’re amazed. From watching them on TV to sitting next to them. You talk to them and they’re normal people. They’re good to me. It’s a good transition from someone who watches TV to someone I can talk to.”
