Manchester City's academy players will get the chance to shine when the holders face Wycombe Wanderers in the EFL Cup.
The Premier League champions host third-tier Wycombe in the third round on Tuesday.
City head into the tie on the back of a frustrating goalless draw with Southampton, albeit they were fortunate to come away from that match with a point after a contentious VAR decision to overturn a Saints penalty.
Aymeric Laport, John Stones, Rodri and Oleksandr Zinchenko all missed the Southampton draw, and Guardiola suggested Ilkay Gundogan is also likely to sit out the tie against the Chairboys.
Guardiola has often used the early rounds of the competition to blood younger players, with the likes of Liam Delap, Tommy Doyle and Taylor Harwood-Bellis handed opportunities last season.
The latter two of that trio have now moved out on loan, though Guardiola said he will be turning to City's youth once again.
"I don't have any alternative… we are going to play a few young players," Guardiola told reporters.
"We have John, Aymeric, Oleks, Rodri and I think Gundogan – all of them injured. It's a good opportunity for the academy – that's why they are there."
It is not just injuries that Guardiola is being wary of, as he also looks to hand rests to players who have been ever-presents for City so far.
"Some players might rest for the games we have coming up ahead of us," said Guardiola, whose side take on title rivals Chelsea next weekend.
"Ruben [Dias] played all of the minutes so far and Joao [Cancelo] played all of the minutes, too, so I don't think they will be able to play in this game."
Tuesday's game will be the first meeting between City and Wycombe since April 1999, with Wanderers winning 2-1 at Maine Road on that occasion. On the same weekend, Guardiola was playing for Barcelona against Atletico Madrid in LaLiga.
City have not been eliminated from this competition by a side from outside the Premier League since September 2008 against Brighton and Hove Albion and even when utilising the academy, it is unlikely that record will change.
Indeed, a side from either League One or League Two have never won an away game against the EFL Cup holders, while the last team from outside of the top flight to do so were Grimsby Town in 2001.
Keira Walsh happy as ‘special club’ Barcelona land another Champions League
England midfielder Keira Walsh outlined her ambitions to stay at serial winners Barcelona for the long haul after they sealed a stunning 3-2 comeback against Wolfsburg to lift the Champions League trophy for the second time in three years.
Saturday’s sold-out Eindhoven showpiece was the first time Walsh was part of a title-winning side in the European competition, while club and country team-mate Lucy Bronze is now a four-time champion following a trio of victories with Lyon.
Walsh, 26, joined Liga F champions Barcelona on a three-season deal last September, less than two months after winning the Euros with England, and admitted she is loving the look of her trophy cabinet.
She told DAZN: “It’s been a pretty good year. The Euros, the Champions League, I think if someone was to tell me this was going to happen I wouldn’t believe them.
“To play for Barcelona, for these fans, it’s a special, special feeling,” adding of her future at the club: “Yeah. I think you want to be playing in these games and winning Champions Leagues and this is the club that does that.”
Walsh’s side beat Chelsea to reach their fourth final in five seasons, and had redemption on their minds after a crushing 3-1 loss to Lyon in Turin last year.
Despite being heavy favourites there was a sense of deja vu for Barca, who conceded their fastest-ever opener in the competition when Ewa Pajor netted on just two minutes and 57 seconds.
That brought back memories of Turin, where Barcelona fell behind after just six minutes and conceded twice more before the break.
This time it was just a two-goal deficit at the restart after Alexandra Popp headed home on 37 minutes, but the shock nonetheless forced Walsh and her team-mates to dig deep.
They did so in spectacular style through Patricia Guijarro, who netted twice in two minutes to ensure it was all square after just five minutes of the second period, and Fridolina Rolfo sealed the result with a 70th-minute winner.
Walsh said: “First half, not great for us. I think we kept the ball but didn’t score on our chances, so to score three goals in the second half was incredible.
“We just came in at half-time and Alexia [Putellas] said that if there’s any team that can overturn a two-nil it’s this team and that’s what we did. Patri Guijarro, she’s a special, special player and I think today it’s about time that people recognised that.
“For me the best player in the world.”
Bronze, meanwhile, made history by becoming the first English player to win the Women’s Champions League with two different clubs in her first game back since recovering from an April knee injury.
It was enough to require surgery, which some feared might see her added to the list of Lionesses set to miss the World Cup, but the defender played the full final and looks fit to start England’s opener against Haiti in exactly seven weeks.
Lionesses boss Sarina Wiegman was on trophy-presenting duty at Saturday’s final, which got off to a shaky start for Bronze after her error led to Wolfsburg’s opener.
Bronze, who played the full match, said: “Once there was two goals we shut up shop, we made it really difficult defensively, created loads of chances in attack.
“It was difficult for myself and Frido, we both haven’t played for five weeks, obviously I’ve had surgery – I’ve only trained a couple of times. It was definitely difficult but I’m so happy to have played my part for the team.”
Torino 0-1 Inter: Brozovic strike sees Nerazzurri warm up for Champions League final in style
Inter warmed up for the Champions League final with a 1-0 win over Torino to cap off their Serie A campaign.
The Nerazzurri head to Istanbul to face Manchester City on June 10, but the Coppa Italia winners had league business to attend to on Saturday.
Marcelo Brozovic's excellent strike proved the difference, with substitute goalkeeper Alex Cordaz making a superb save to preserve Inter's lead in the second half.
Inter will face an altogether tougher test in a week's time, but for now, Simone Inzaghi can reflect on a job well done in Serie A.
Romelu Lukaku sparked what had been an insipid first half into life when he crafted space on the edge of Torino's area and saw a low strike deflected just wide.
Stefan de Vrij headed straight at Vanja Milinkovic-Savic from the resulting corner, but Torino's goalkeeper was beaten in the 37th minute.
Given space and time on the edge around 20 yards out, Brozovic punished Torino with a fine left-footed strike that nestled in the bottom-right corner.
Brozovic turned provider shortly after the restart, only for Roberto Gagliardini to head wide from close range.
Ex-Inter forward Yann Karomah almost made an instant impact from the bench when he forced a fine save out of Samir Handanovic, who subsequently received an ovation when he made way for Cordaz in the 65th minute.
Cordaz made a stunning save soon after, reacting brilliantly to parry Antonio Sanabria's effort wide and ensure Inter ended their domestic campaign with a victory.
Pep Guardiola urges Man City to cement greatness by winning Champions League
Pep Guardiola urged his Manchester City team to cement their greatness by winning the Champions League following their latest FA Cup success.
City completed the domestic double for a second time under Guardiola as they overpowered rivals Manchester United 2-1 at Wembley on Saturday.
Ilkay Gundogan scored both goals, including a stunning volley after just 12 seconds – the fastest goal in FA Cup final history – as City proved far too strong for their neighbours.
Yet, for all their success in recent years, which also includes five Premier League titles and four Carabao Cups, Champions League glory has eluded them.
They will have the chance to put that right and secure a glorious treble when they face Inter Milan in next week’s final in Istanbul.
City manager Guardiola said: “Everybody knows it. We have done incredible seasons – five Premier Leagues, two FA Cups, Carabao Cups, but we have to win the Champions League to be recognised like the team deserves to be recognised.
“We have to admit it, without the Champions League – it has been amazing, it has been fun – but we are missing (something). We have to do it.
“We are one game away. I would say it is incredible, remarkable, that in three years we have had two finals and one semi-final of the Champions League.
“But in the end we have to win it. I know how it works. I said to the players, ‘You have to put the pressure on yourself. To be recognised as something good you have to win in Europe’.”
Before they fully switch focus to Inter, City can reflect on another superb trophy-winning performance.
Things did not all go their way. United pegged them back after Gundogan’s rapid opener with a Bruno Fernandes penalty after Jack Grealish was controversially adjudged to have handled following a VAR review.
Yet they responded early in the second half as Kevin De Bruyne picked out Gundogan on the edge of the area from a free-kick and the German volleyed in his second.
From then on, Guardiola’s side kept a tight grip on the contest and duly closed out the club’s seventh FA Cup triumph.
Guardiola said: “It was the best way to start a final. There was still more than 90 minutes left but it was important.
“In general we played a really good game. We played with a lot of risk because the threat they have up front is so big, especially with (Marcus) Rashford, but we controlled it really well.
“A final against United is always, for many reasons, difficult but the better team won. We are humble enough to accept how good they are and we did it. We’re really pleased.
“Winning the FA Cup, the emotions are so, so special and to celebrate with our people, it is really great.”
Gundogan has enjoyed a fine end to the season and can now add an FA Cup final-winning double to the two goals he scored to clinch the Premier League title in the closing game of last season.
The midfielder is out of contract in the summer and his latest superb display will increase the club’s desire to tie him to new terms.
Guardiola said: “He knows what I think. He’s a neighbour of mine. We’ve lived on the same floor for many years and he’s a close friend of mine.
“He’s an exceptional player and hopefully we can finish it (contract talks) in a good way. The season he has done is exceptional. He is very important for many reasons.”
SportsMax is the Caribbean sports channel of choice, committed to providing sporting content of the highest quality to the Caribbean, delivered by a team of highly innovative, passionate and qualified professionals.
(876) 619-7629
digitalmedia@sportsmax.tv
