Ruben Dias and Nathan Ake add to Manchester City injury concerns ahead of Real Madrid showdown | OneFootball

Manchester City have succumbed to yet further damage amongst their defensive ranks following confirmation of team news this weekend.

The Premier League champions welcome Newcastle United to the Etihad Stadium this weekend as both sides look to capitalise on Chelsea’s 3-0 defeat away to Brighton & Hove Albion on Friday night.

City come into this one in damaging form however, having suffered a 2-3 home defeat to Real Madrid thanks to late goals from Brahim Diaz and Jude Bellingham despite Erling Haaland’s late strike from the penalty spot giving the hosts a late lead.

This is a significant opportunity for either of the two sides to burst into the top-four in the Premier League with a win this weekend, currently tied in fifth and sixth position level on points with one another.

However, as Pep Guardiola looks to get his side back to winning ways and strike a balance between fielding the strongest side possible and not restricting his available stars for the midweek trip to Madrid, his selection options have worsened.

Despite arriving with the rest of the 20-man Manchester City matchday squad at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday afternoon, both Ruben Dias and Nathan Ake have been excluded from the starting line-up and substitutes.

The official line from within the club is now that both the Dutch and Portuguese stars are absent due to being ‘not fully fit’, throwing their availability for the midweek trip to Real Madrid into serious doubt.

The absence of Dias and Ake also now means that Manchester City have seen their central defensive options severely limited once more, with John Stones partnering Abdukodir Khusanov at the centre of defence this weekend.

Vitor Reis is the only other option available in the position from the bench, with Manuel Akanji ruled out for up to 10 weeks with an abductor injury sustained against Real Madrid that has required surgery this weekend.

Oscar Bobb and Rodri remain sidelined, while they are all joined by Jack Grealish – who has also not made the matchday squad against Newcastle this weekend having limped off during the opening exchanges of the defeat to Real Madrid with an apparent groin issue.