Pep Guardiola hopes to have Nico Gonzalez available for selection against Real Madrid after an injury scare at Leyton Orient.
Gonzalez was signed for £50m on deadline day to reinforce a Manchester City midfield that has been weak this season without Ballon d'Or winner Rodri to pull the strings. The former Porto man was put straight into the squad for the Champions League knockout rounds but suffered a bruising debut in the FA Cup.
After some promise in the opening minutes, Gonzalez was pushed off the ball to allow Jamie Donley to score a wondergoal that gave the League One side the lead. The 23-year-old was unable to run off a 'strong kick' he had been given, and was substituted after 21 minutes of his first start for his new club.
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That naturally puts him as a doubt for the next game - Real Madrid at home on Tuesday - before any further assessments are done. City will not want to take any risks with their January recruit in a season where injuries have destabilised the whole squad.
However, Guardiola was cautiously optimistic on Saturday as he spoke of a knock rather than anything muscular for Gonzalez. City will assess him before the Champions League game, but the manager is hopeful that the player can be included as the Blues look to give themselves something to take to Madrid for the second leg.
"I hope so but I don't know," he said after the Leyton Orient game. "The kick was strong in this area but we have three days and we will see. "
