Manchester City left sweating on Nathan Ake fitness ahead of Real Madrid showdown

Nathan Ake has left Manchester City sweating just days before their Champions League semi-final first-leg showdown with Real Madrid.

The Dutchman has been instrumental to City’s success during the second-half of the ongoing season, revolutionising Pep Guardiola’s options in defence by offering himself as a star performer in the left-back position.

However the City boss was forced into sourcing alternative options in recent weeks after Nathan Ake sustained a hamstring problem during the Champions League quarter-final second-leg at the Allianz Arena against Bayern Munich.

Since recovering and returning to the City first-team squad, Ake has started both of his possible matches with two consecutive home Premier League matches in a matter of days in West Ham and Leeds United this week.

The latter has unfortunately taken it’s toll already on the left-back, with Nathan Ake withdrawn during the second-half of the 2-1 victory over Leeds United on Saturday afternoon.

While Manchester City have been left sweating on the fitness of Ake at such a crucial stage of the season, they will perhaps be buoyed by the fact that the defender was not forced straight down the tunnel at the time, and instead took a seat on the bench upon being replaced.

Onlookers at the moment of the problem noticed Nathan Ake appearing to clutch his calf – suggesting that the problem is possibly not reoccurence of the problem sustained in Germany last month – with the defender handed an ice pack by a member of City medical staff.

Manchester City supporters will be hoping that the problem sustained by Ake and his subsequent replacement against Sam Allardyce’s side was merely a precaution given the magnitude of the matches on the horizon.

When quizzed on Ake’s fitness after the game, Guardiola said, “I didn’t speak with the doctor but apparently if he asked to, you know… we will see in the next days.”

City travel to the Spanish capital on Monday afternoon ahead of a mammoth Champions League semi-final first-leg clash against Carlo Ancelotti’s Real Madrid – who were crowned Copa del Rey champions on Saturday night.

Guardiola is expected to provide a more concise fitness update on his squad following the clash against Leeds United during his pre-match press conference – which is expected to take place on Monday afternoon.