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Pep Guardiola has said that three Manchester City stars are very close to returning from injury, but are not yet fit for their Champions League opening game.<\/p>\n
City begin their defence of their European crown on Tuesday night with a clash against Serbian side Red Star Belgrade at the Etihad.<\/p>\n
Following their treble success, the Citizens are favourites to win back-to-back Champions Leagues titles \u2013 a feat only Real Madrid have previously achieved.<\/p>\n
Additionally, Guardiola will be looking to become only the second manager after Carlo Ancelotti to win the competition four times, but he\u2019s kicking-off this campaign without several key stars.<\/p>\n
Captain Kevin De Bruyne remains a long-term absentee due to the thigh injury he sustained in the Premier League opening night win at Burnley.<\/p>\n
But their had been hope that the trio of John Stones, Mateo Kovacic and Jack Grealish would be back in time for the Red Star match.<\/p>\n
The English duo, who were pivotal to the treble win, have been recovering from thigh injuries, while summer signing Kovacic has been on the sidelines with a back issue.<\/p>\n
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But Guardiola confirmed in his pre-match press conference, that the three will not be available on Tuesday, but they could well feature in the following game against Nottingham Forest at home.<\/p>\n
\u2018They are getting better, not for tomorrow. Hopefully Nottingham or next games we need it,\u2019 the manager said on Monday.<\/p>\n
\u2018We proved ourselves without them but hopefully they are back soon because we need the competition. We need Jack to compete with Jeremy [Doku], the feeling to play good to be in the squad.<\/p>\n
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\u2018Difficult to stay for a long time. It happens, we accept it.\u2019<\/p>\n
Summer signing Doku has replaced Grealish in the starting XI since the latter\u2019s injury and looked very impressive in last Saturday\u2019s 3-1 win at West Ham, with the Belgian winger scoring the equalising goal.<\/p>\n
\u2018When you are the wingers against the fullbacks and dribble, is a chance. Support for a winger to dribble to the byline is a chance,\u2019 Guardiola said of Doku when asked where the 21-year-old has impressed.<\/p>\n
\u2018He does it a lot. That\u2019s why I say I was impressed, we knew his quality but didn\u2019t expect the ability to release Julian [Alvarez], Erling [Haaland], Phil [Foden] \u2013 go close to the box because this guy dribbles and they have to be there, an incredible threat.<\/p>\n
\u2018For a long time I didn\u2019t see a performance of a winger going again and dribbling with his fullback. It won\u2019t happen every week. He has the quality to do it, go, try do it.\u2019<\/p>\n