Erling Haaland a doubt for Man City's Champions League game against Real Madrid

Haaland was notably absent from City's squad for their FA Cup encounter with Newcastle United over the weekend, sparking initial concern among supporters.

Despite the Norwegian striker's omission, Manchester City secured a 3-1 victory. Savinho opened the scoring, while Omar Marmoush netted a brace, ensuring the Magpies were comfortably dispatched. Nico O'Reilly returned from a knock to start the match, providing further stability in midfield.

Pep Guardiola explained that Haaland's absence from the Newcastle fixture was intentional. The City manager revealed the striker was rested to prepare for a crucial run of fixtures, including both the EFL Cup Final and the two legs against Real Madrid in the Champions League.

Guardiola's strategy suggests a careful approach to managing his star forward's fitness ahead of pivotal matches in the coming weeks.

While City's domestic form remains strong, Haaland's status for the Santiago Bernabeu clash remains uncertain, leaving fans and pundits alike to speculate on whether he will feature against the Spanish giants.

Guardiola's rotation policy appears designed to maintain the striker's sharpness and minimise injury risk during this decisive period of the season.

"I was not planning to play him," Guardiola said. "I would prefer [him to have] good training sessions than to travel and play just 10-15 minutes."