Aymeric Laporte has been taken off with an injury during Manchester City’s last 16 tie against Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu.
The French defender limped off in the Premier League 1-0 win against Leicester City at the weekend but it was hoped that he would be ready to complete 90 minutes in Madrid.
Laporte’s availability for this huge Champions League clash was a source of comfort to Pep Guardiola, who is looking to win his first Champions League since leaving Barcelona.
With Manchester City receiving a two-year UEFA ban from European competition, this year’s Champions League has taken on more significance than ever before – for both Guardiola and Manchester City.
CITY SUB | @Laporte limps off having injured himself in that previous melee in the box 😔
⚪️ 0-0 🔵 #ManCity #UCL pic.twitter.com/Mu27pScBUD
— Manchester City (@ManCity) February 26, 2020
The loss of Laporte is a huge blow to these ambitions and City will be hoping it’s not a reoccurrence of the knee injury that sidelined him at the start of the campaign.
Fernandinho has come on and replaced Laporte at centre back – a position he is has covered this season.
Laporte was having an excellent game and had restricted Real Madrid to nothing more than half chances.
The highlight of the first half was Thibaut Courtois’ world class save from Gabriel Jesus who had been put clean through only to be denied by the Belgium international.
After a cagey affair, the first half ended goalless but only after a goal line clearance from Real Madrid’s Federico Valverde from Jesus’ scuffed shot.
