Stefan Ortega is set to start for Pep Guardiola against Sporting CP, as Guardiola appreciates the spirited competition among his goalkeepers—a quality currently lacking across the rest of the team.
Ederson, who has been a standout for City this season, performed well against Bournemouth, keeping City in the game for long stretches and nearly helping them secure a point.
However, Guardiola wants to recognize Ortega’s commitment to the team and his impressive performances whenever he’s on the field, meaning Ederson will sit on the bench for this Champions League match.
With John Stones and Ruben Dias still recovering from injuries that sidelined them against Bournemouth, City will be without five first-team players for the trip to Sporting. Other players, while pushing through discomfort, are also not at peak performance.
Guardiola shared that “Kevin [De Bruyne] is improving—he’s doing sessions with less pain, and we sense he’s feeling more comfortable,” although “Manu [Akanji] and Nathan [Ake] are still facing challenges.”
“Kyle [Walker] has been managing knee issues since his national team duties, but his progress is good news for all of us. As for the others: Savinho’s ankle is on the mend, [Jeremy] Doku has had some minor muscle concerns, and the rest are doing well.”
