Pep Guardiola shows reporters how Kevin de Bruyne is struggling with illness!

Manchester City head coach, Pep Guardiola made a visual clarification to show why Kevin De Bruyne will miss their Champions League game against RB Leipzig.

The Belgian was joined by Aymeric Laporte and John Stones among those who were not able to make the trip to Germany. The 22 man travelling party includes Maximo Perrone, who joined from Argentine side Velez Sarsfield in January. De Bruyne played 88 minutes of City’s 1-1 draw with Nottingham Forest, a match Laporte completed in full. Stones is currently recovering from a thigh injury.

Speaking to reporters, as quoted by the Express, the Spaniard said: “It is what is during the season, unfortunately. He [De Bruyne] didn’t feel good right after the game with Forest on Sunday. Yesterday, Aymre [Laporte] didn’t feel good. It happens sometimes.”

Looking further ahead than his side’s mid-week European clash, Guardiola, when asked if he thinks both players will recover in time to face Bournemouth in the Premier League on the weekend, the 52-year-old added: “I don’t know.”

Although Man City’s squad is arguably the deepest in world football, replacing a player, particularly De Bruyne, is virtually impossible, and with the club trying to chase down table-toppers Arsenal, losing the Belgium international is far from ideal, so fans will be keeping everything crossed that their star midfielder can recover in time to play the Cherries.

Man City’s league match against Bournemouth, which is set to take place at the Vitality Stadium on Saturday, is set to kick off at 5.30 p.m (UK time) and will be broadcast live on Sky Sports.