On his Champions League debut for Manchester City against Sevilla, Manuel Akanji made an impression.
It's a good problem to have, but Pep Guardiola may need to rewrite his plans for his Manchester City center backs this week.
It was up to Manuel Akanji to step in alongside Ruben Dias for his debut in Spain because Aymeric Laporte would be out for a few more weeks, John Stones wouldn't have been able to travel to Sevilla last week, and Nathan Ake would only have been able to sit on the bench. Akanji distinguished himself by making some excellent interceptions and bringing the ball out from the back, earning plaudits from his boss after the game.
Guardiola, meanwhile, had said before the game that Ake will make a comeback for City's scheduled match against Tottenham on Saturday, rotating his central options to keep everyone as healthy as possible.
However, the Premier League has now postponed the Spurs game in honor of the Queen by changing the dates of this weekend's games. If the Queen's funeral occurs, the game at Wolves the following weekend might also be impacted, although Borussia Dortmund's Champions League visit won't be.
So, will Guardiola persist with his decision to bring in Ake, who will need a few more days to recuperate from his injury, or will he continue to play Akanji in another European match against a team he recently left? Given the repeated references
It would make sense to keep Akanji in the side given the frequent references to his European experience and the fact that he knows Dortmund's side better than any of his new teammates.
Although that would be unfair to Ake, who has performed admirably this season regardless of the game. And while commenting on the injury that prevented Stones from traveling to Sevilla, Guardiola said he might return this week. In Seville, City had two options at center back; against Dortmund, they might have four.
Guardiola's ability to handle his center-backs in the final week before the international break will be put to the test, especially with the Wolves game still up in the air.If Kyle Walker is still out, the full-back will be cognizant of maintaining his word to Ake and rewarding Akanji for a strong debut.
However, with key players back and others in form, it's a good problem to have going into the match against Dortmund. Guardiola will need as many bodies as he can get, as well as plenty of competitiveness from those not participating, because the Spurs postponement will make future fixtures more crowded.
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