Manchester City faced a worrying development ahead of their crucial UEFA Champions League meeting with Bayer Leverkusen: Kalvin Phillips, Rodri, and Mateo Kovačić all missed Monday’s pre-match training session, strongly suggesting they may be unavailable for Tuesday’s game.

At his press conference, head coach Pep Guardiola made no mention of an injury to Phillips, explaining:

“Everyone is fit except Kova and Rodri. Rodri is almost back. I can’t say with 100% certainty, but he’s close. We’ll wait a bit longer to make sure everything is fine.”

Mateo Kovačić is sidelined with a hamstring injury and is expected to return in December. As for Kalvin Phillips, the reason for his absence remains unclear, adding further intrigue to City’s midfield situation ahead of a pivotal European fixture.