Erling Haaland returned to training on Tuesday to give Manchester City a major boost ahead of their crucial Champions League second-leg showdown with Real Madrid.
Haaland raised health fears when he seemed to tweak his knee in City’s 4-0 win against Newcastle United, but he was fully involved in training, dispelling fears he would miss the all-or-nothing clash at the Santiago Bernabéu.
City, which lost the first leg 3-2, also had Ruben Dias, Nathan Ake and Jack Grealish in the lineup after missing the Newcastle game. Grealish was suffering a muscle injury in the first leg, Ake was sidelined through illness and Dias was rested.
In any case, Pep Guardiola has already set caution as prevailing mood because he admitted his side had just a “slim chance” of going through. “But as long as we have a chance we will try, that’s for sure,” he said.
City need to win by two goals in Madrid to reach the next round.
