Pep Guardiola's update on Kevin De Bruyne didn't sound promising on Tuesday and it would be a surprise if the Belgian was available for Manchester City against West Ham.
That might mean a second successive game with Julian Alvarez and Erling Haaland together from the start for the Blues, which would be the first time that has happened.
It would actually mean they've started three of the last four games together and at Fulham on Sunday Guardiola admitted he might have to find a way to squeeze them into the team alongside De Bruyne as well. ALSO READ: Guardiola sends Premier League warning after Haaland and Messi comparison "He helped me a lot to understand that maybe in the future I have to adjust something to make them both, and Kevin, to make them play," Guardiola said at Craven Cottage. "Because especially in tight games with five in the back to have them involved there it is so important for us, really really important for us.
It’s not just the goal and the penalty, but it is the intensity in the pressure, it is keeping the ball, it is the vision because he is an incredible, exceptional player, not just scoring goals." Fielding Alvarez and Haaland as a partnership, or even with De Bruyne, might be something that is required at some point across two legs against Real Madrid.