After the game which ended in Real Madrid’s favour, the Spanish tactician told reporters that the two-star players asked him to be substituted which signals that they were battling with fitness issues.

Ahead of Manchester City’s FA Cup semi-finals clash with Chelsea at 5:15 p.m. on Saturday, April 20, Pep Guardiola revealed that “Erling Haaland felt something, muscular issue.”

He added, “We will see”, while also revealing that, “Kevin De Bruyne felt his hamstring, so tired. But he feels well now.”

Meanwhile, in the FA Cup semi-finals pre-match press conference, Pep Guardiola was asked why City sold Cole Palmer to Chelsea last summer, and he stressed that the Englishman decided to leave City.

Note that since Palmer left Manchester City for Chelsea for a transfer fee worth £42.5 million, the 21-year-old English versatile attacking midfielder has been unstoppable.

He has scored 20 Premier League goals for his new club and he might come back to hunt City during their FA Cup clash with Chelsea on Saturday.

Ahead of the game, Guardiola explained why Palmer left City, saying: “He was asking for two seasons to leave Man City. I said: stay. He wanted to leave. What can we do?

“He’s an exceptional player with super potential. I didn’t give him the minutes he deserves that he now has at Chelsea.”