Kyle Walker breaks silence on Man City Champions League final injury after missing training
Manchester City’s right-back, Kyle Walker, has downplayed concerns about his potential absence in the Champions League final due to a back injury.
During Manchester City’s training session on Tuesday, Kyle Walker, who is an England international, did not participate. This occurred as the team was getting ready for their upcoming match against Inter Milan in the Champions League final, set to take place in Istanbul on Saturday.
In the FA Cup final victory over Manchester United at Wembley, Walker was substituted in the last minute and appeared to be in discomfort.
However, despite this, Walker was among the players who were made available for media interviews later on Tuesday, and he emphasized that the injury was not significant.
“I’m fine, I’m just getting old,” he told Sky Sports News. “I’m completely fine, it’s just an extra day of recovery.
“I’ve played a lot of minutes over the last number of weeks so the manager said, “Just stay inside and come Saturday you will be raring to go”.
‘I’m fine, the minutes that I’ve played when everyone else was injured, I was there digging my heels in and getting through it. I won’t be missing the Champions League final for anything.’
Pep Guardiola, the manager of Manchester City, also reassured that Kyle Walker’s absence from training was merely a precautionary measure.
“He has had a disturbance in his back,” said Guardiola at a press conference. “Yesterday he was not good, today he was a little bit better but we didn’t want to take any risks. We will see what happens in the next days.”
Manchester City aims to secure their first-ever Champions League title, which would mark a remarkable treble achievement following their successes in the Premier League and FA Cup this season. Additionally, they hope to overcome the disappointment of their defeat to Chelsea in the 2021 final.
While Inter Milan, who have won the Champions League three times in the past, possess a stronger European pedigree, City enters the match as clear favorites against a team that finished third in Serie A this season.
Nonetheless, Pep Guardiola emphasizes that past events and current form hold little significance in the present moment.
He said: “It’s really good to travel in a few days to Istanbul. We go together and it is a dream to be here.
“Two years ago we were there but in different situations with Covid.
“We’re going to try to do our best and we know the final is how you behave in that specific 95 minutes, not history.
“For history, they are better than us but it is about what you have to do to be better than the opponent in 95 minutes.
“It doesn’t count what you have done in the group stages or the Premier League or the FA Cup. We have to be better than them.”
Guardiola is comfortable with the tag of favourites.
“We are used to it,’ he said. ‘Why should it be more dangerous? Accept the role and go out there knowing the quality of the opponents. We accept what people say, no problem.”
Manchester City’s performance in the latter part of the season has been exceptional, as they successfully chased down Arsenal to secure the Premier League title and displayed their strength by defeating Bayern Munich and Real Madrid to reach the Champions League final.
Pep Guardiola acknowledges the high level of confidence within the City squad but emphasizes that there will be no room for complacency. Despite their impressive form, the team remains focused and determined to approach the final with the necessary seriousness and commitment.
He said: “It is a final against a top team and we have to do it. We are confident, I’m so optimistic, but at the same time I cannot deny the quality of the opponent.
“I have never done that and especially not in the final of the Champions League.”
Kyle Walker breaks silence on Man City Champions League final injury after missing training
