Pep Guardiola’s starting-XI for Manchester City’s first ever Champions League final has arrived.
It’s a first for the Spaniard too since winning the competition with Catalan outfit Barcelona in 2009 and 2011.
It’s an unchanged back four for the Citizens, with the 50-year-old favouring a centre-back partnership of Ruben Dias and John Stones.
There had been speculation circling around Ilkay Gundogan regarding a potential injury, though it would appear that the former Dortmund star is perfectly fit for tonight’s pivotal clash and will join captain Kevin De Bruyne and Bernardo Silva in the midfield.
Up top, Riyad Mahrez and Raheem Sterling have been recalled following the club’s 5-0 dismantling of Everton on the final day of the Premier League season, with in-form man Phil Foden joining the pack.
Here we go ?
XI | Ederson, Walker, Dias, Stones, Zinchenko, Gundogan, De Bruyne (C), Bernardo, Mahrez, Sterling, Foden
SUBS | Steffen, Carson, Ake, Jesus, Aguero, Laporte, Rodrigo, Torres, Mendy, Fernandinho, Cancelo, Garcia
?? #UCLFinal
? #ManCity | https://t.co/axa0klD5re pic.twitter.com/APXPDXtXTk— Manchester City (@ManCity) May 29, 2021
It’s a lineup that hasn’t thrilled some City supporters, however, with several fans bemoaning the lack of defensive midfielder.
You can find a selection of the Citizens’ reactions to the starting-XI:
No holding midfielder
— Backspinjihia? (@JobKaruma) May 29, 2021
What the hell is Sterling going to do in this game person that cause us Lyon game last year Chelsea use counter against us always so we need holding defensive midfielder fernandinho in this game for gundogan to be pushing forward
— Assalafy (@capson08994850) May 29, 2021
We need Fernandinho or Rodri as CDM with Bernardo/De Bruyne up front, not Sterling :S
— Arneesh Aima ? (@Arneesh) May 29, 2021
No dms. Rodri should be swapped with sterling and let de bruyne loose in that center forward role. Think tactically we have lost this battle.
— Iamdeadpool200 (@iamdeadpool200) May 29, 2021
No holding mid?????
— Ryan.?? (@FavelaFIair) May 29, 2021