AS Monaco’s Adi Hutter confirms eight-man absentee list for Manchester City clash | OneFootball

Manchester City appear set to take on a heavily depleted AS Monaco outfit when they travel to the south of France on Wednesday night.

Pep Guardiola’s side head into the midweek contest looking to build further momentum in the UEFA Champions League’s league phase, having managed their resources carefully during a relentless September schedule.

Manchester City have been balancing domestic and European demands while navigating fitness concerns of their own, with Pep Guardiola recently using the Carabao Cup and early-season rotation to hand minutes to fringe and Academy players.

This week’s trip to Stade Louis II, however, comes with added intrigue given the number of enforced changes Monaco will be required to make as Adi Hutter’s squad faces a significant injury crisis, with midfield and defensive options particularly hard hit.

That could provide Pep Guardiola with an opportunity to rotate while still maintaining confidence in his side’s ability to secure a strong result, especially as Manchester City continue to prioritise the Premier League and Champions League as their two central objectives.

According to Adi Hutter speaking during his pre-match press conference, relayed by Get French Football News, Monaco will be forced to take on City with a heavily depleted midfield, with all of Lamine Camara, Denis Zakaria, Aleksandr Golovin, and Aladji Bamba ruled out, and Paul Pogba not yet fit.

The report further highlights that while the highly-rated Maghnes Akliouche missed their recent defeat to Lorient, he has now recovered from illness and could take on Manchester City at Stade Louis II.

In addition to the mentioned absences in midfield, Lukas Hradecky and Christian Mawissa will also play no part in the upcoming fixture, while Paris Brunner is ineligible to play in the UEFA Champions League and missed Tuesday morning’s training session with a minor injury.

For Guardiola, the news presents both an advantage and a challenge as while Monaco’s absentees reduce the threat from a usually dynamic midfield, the French club could still turn to younger options, including Akliouche, to spring a surprise.

Manchester City themselves have already showcased the growing importance of Academy products this season, with Divine Mukasa and Stephen Mfuni featuring in the Carabao Cup win over Huddersfield.

The big question will be whether Pep Guardiola takes the chance to rest some of his senior names, or whether he aims to conclude the latest block of club duties with a strong result against Monaco and Brentford.

Erling Haaland, who was confirmed to be fit for the recent Burnley game after a minor back issue, is expected to lead the line again but may not play the full 90 minutes if the tie moves quickly in Manchester City’s favour.

Ultimately, the Monaco clash looks set to be defined as much by the absentees as the players on the pitch. If Manchester City can capitalise early, it could allow Guardiola to rotate heavily during the second half – an ideal outcome during a crucial run across competitions.