Pep Guardiola issues Manchester City fitness update ahead of FA Cup semi-final | OneFootball

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has provided an update on his squad’s fitness ahead of an all-important FA Cup semi-final meeting with Nottingham Forest at Wembley on Sunday.

The four-in-a-row Premier League champions face a strong Forest side – who beat the Blues 1-0 in their recent meeting in March courtesy of a late Callum Hudson-Odoi winner – in a tie that could define the Blues’ season. Nuno Espirito Santo’s side are also contesting for a top five Premier League finish.

The Reds sit one point behind Manchester City in fourth place in the Premier League table albeit with a game in hand, having made a very strong impression over the course of the league season as they bid to secure UEFA Champions League football for the 2025-26 term.

City – who fought their way to secure a 2-1 win against Bournemouth in the FA Cup quarter-final – are in fine form ahead of the cup tie, having won four of their last five in all competitions and each of their last three Premier League fixtures.

Guardiola’s side were grateful to academy midfielder-turned full back Nico O’Reilly in the quarter-final, with the teenager coming off the bench to spark a brilliant comeback – setting up Erling Haaland and Omar Marmoush to spearhead his boyhood club to the semi-final.

Manchester City are still missing Ballon d’Or winner Rodri as the Spaniard recovers from an ACL injury sustained last year, with John Stones, Nathan Ake, Ederson, Phil Foden and Erling Haaland also having been unavailable recently.

Haaland was hauled off in the FA Cup quarter-final in the south coast after he levelled proceedings, whilst Foden suffered an injury in the goalless Manchester derby at Old Trafford a few weeks ago. Manuel Akanji has returned to action of late.

Ederson has missed the last two games with a groin problem and Manchester City were dealt a further fitness blow ahead of the FA Cup semi-final when it was revealed this week that Oscar Bobb suffered a hamstring issue in the days leading to a 2-0 win away at Everton last week.

Speaking to the media ahead of a trip to London at the weekend, Guardiola provided an update on the fitness of his Manchester City squad that will be desperate to get one over Nottingham Forest and secure their place in the FA Cup final.

“Eddie (Ederson) is coming back and training a little, but I don’t know if he will be ready for this game. Hopefully for the next one,” Guardiola said on Ederson, which means Ortega Moreno is almost certain to retain his place in goal at Wembley on Sunday.

On Haaland, Guardiola added: “He’s getting better in his injury and always has been involved as well. Apparently he can be 10 more years here (at Manchester City), so I’m pretty sure he wants more than anyone else to be in the Champions League next season.”

Guardiola went on to mention that Haaland is yet to join the first-team in full training and that the 24-year-old continues to work individually. “We’ll see in the next days how he evolves,” the Manchester City boss said.

Finally, Guardiola provided an update on Rodri and whether the midfielder could be involved in the FA Cup final in June should City get past Forest on Sunday. “I don’t know. Every training session he (Rodri) is doing with us, so he’s doing really well I would say,” Guardiola added.

“But yes, I don’t know; to be honest, I don’t know. Rodri wants (to come back in time for the FA Cup final) but the doctors are going to tell me, ‘Pep, you have green lights to give him some minutes,’ or so on. I will rely on the doctors in that case.”