HAALAND NEARING RETURN AHEAD OF REAL MADRID CHAMPIONS LEAGUE CLASH

Emirates 24/7-  Erling Haaland is expected to return to the Manchester City squad for their upcoming UEFA Champions League match against Real Madrid, after spending the past weekend training to improve his speed.

The Norwegian striker did not travel with the team for Saturday's FA Cup fifth-round victory over Newcastle, as manager Pep Guardiola opted for player rotation. This marked Haaland's second absence in three matches, having also missed the win against Leeds due to a bruise.

"I didn't think about letting him play; I prefer him to train to regain match fitness," Guardiola said. He added that after an injury, players often face difficulties regaining their full "real rhythm of speed" upon their return.

Other key players rested at St James' Park, who did not feature as substitutes, included Gianluigi Donnarumma, Ruben Dias, Marc Guehi, Rodri, and Bernardo Silva. Meanwhile, Antoine Semenyo, Rayan Cherki, and Phil Foden only appeared in the final stages of the 3-1 victory.

Manchester City will make their second trip to the Santiago Bernabeu this season on Wednesday for the first leg of the Champions League Round of 16. However, the fixture may come too early for Rico Lewis, who has missed the last four matches.

"He has an ankle problem, slight swelling, but he is close to returning," Guardiola noted. The City manager also expressed hope that duo Mateo Kovacic and Josko Gvardiol will return before the end of the season.