Pep Guardiola issues Manchester City fitness update ahead of Bayer Leverkusen clash

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has handed an update on his side’s fitness ahead of Tuesday’s UEFA Champions League group-phase tie against Bayer Leverkusen.

The Blues returned to Premier League duties at the weekend in disappointing fashion as a Harvey Barnes brace either side of a Ruben Dias equaliser saw Guardiola and co slip down to third place in the league table, with Arsenal extending their lead at the top of the tree to six points after earning a convincing 4-1 win over Tottenham on Sunday.

Guardiola is likely to shuffle his pack to face Bayer Leverkusen on matchday five of the UEFA Champions League group-phase campaign, with qualification for the play-offs in sight for City after three wins and a draw in their opening four games.

Phil Foden was the star of the show last time out in Europe for Manchester City, scoring a stunning brace in a 4-1 win over Borussia Dortmund in a week that also saw the Blues go on to beat Premier League champions Liverpool.

Rodri and Mateo Kovacic remained the only absentees for Manchester City at the weekend against Newcastle, with the former making his way to full fitness after recovering from a hamstring injury and the latter recently undergoing surgery on his heel.

Speaking in a press conference ahead of Tuesday’s UEFA Champions League group-stage visit from Bayer Leverkusen, Guardiola issued an update on his squad’s fitness as Manchester City look to return to winning ways after losing further ground in the title race on Saturday.

Guardiola confirmed that with the exception of Rodri and Kovacic, the Manchester City squad is fully fit and available to face the German side, who could call upon on-loan City playmaker Claudio Echeverri at the Etihad Stadium.

This is a developing story. More to follow.