Guardiola benches Fernandinho and Rodri for Champions League final, Sterling starts
One of Fernandinho and Rodri have 59 out of 60 games for Man City this season, but both are on the bench for the Champions League final.
Pep Guardiola sprung a team news surprise for Manchester City's Champions League final against Chelsea, leaving both club captain Fernandinho and fellow holding midfielder Rodri on the bench.
Saturday's clash at Porto's Estadio do Dragao is City's 61st game of the campaign. At least one of Rodri or Fernandinho has started 59 of the previous 60, the exception coming in a 3-0 group stage win over Olympiacos last November.
Despite taking a knock to the thigh in training on Friday, Ilkay Gundogan – City's top scorer this term with 17 in all competitions - looks like he will start at the base of the midfield.
England winger Raheem Sterling is recalled to the forward line, aiming to build on a return of one club goal since February, with Riyad Mahrez, Phil Foden, Kevin De Bruyne and Bernardo Silva providing ample attacking support.
It is not the first time Guardiola's selection for a key game has led to raised eyebrows. The decision to deploy a back three in last season's Champions League quarter-final against Lyon backfired horribly as the Ligue 1 side ran out 3-1 winners.
Hakim Ziyech scored in both of Chelsea's wins over City in April's FA Cup semi-final and in the Premier League earlier this month, although Thomas Tuchel has preferred Kai Havertz to the former Ajax winger in his front three, which is completed by Timo Werner and Mason Mount.
Tuchel appears to have stuck with the familiar 3-4-2-1 that has served him so well since succeeding Frank Lampard as Blues boss in January.
Reece James is expected to line-up at right wing-back, with captain Cesar Azpilicueta on the right-hand side of defence after the duo switched roles for the 1-0 FA Cup final loss to Leicester City.
Guardiola returns to the Champions League final 10 years after his second coaching victory in the competition with Barcelona, while Tuchel was a beaten finalist while at Paris Saint-Germain last season.
