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Manchester City defender Aymeric Laporte is facing a race to be fit for the return Champions League clash with Real Madrid, sources have told ESPN.
The centre-back lasted just half an hour of the first leg in the Bernabeu before limping off with a hamstring injury. City came from behind to win 2-1 to put themselves in pole position to qualify for the quarterfinals but manager Pep Guardiola is sweating on the fitness of Laporte.
The 25-year-old is set to undergo more tests on Friday to determine the seriousness of the problem. Laporte has already missed five months of the season after suffering a knee ligament injury in August. He returned for the 1-0 win over Sheffield United in January and has started the last three games.
He was picked to start against Real Madrid and paired with Nicolas Otamendi with Guardiola revealing before kick-off usual centre-half Fernandinho was “not in the best physical condition”.
City are facing a hectic run of fixtures. They play Aston Villa in the Carabao Cup final at Wembley on Sunday before a trip to Championship side Sheffield Wednesday in the FA Cup fifth round three days later.
The derby with Manchester United at Old Trafford is scheduled for Mar. 8, followed by games against Burnley, Real Madrid, and Chelsea before champions-in-waiting Liverpool visit the Etihad Stadium on Apr. 5.