Raheem Sterling travels with Manchester City squad after denying Pep Guardiola rift rumours

Sterling rubbished claims of a disagreement after being left out against Fulham

Mark Critchley

Northern Football Correspondent

Monday 15 March 2021 09:25 EDT

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Manchester City winger Raheem Sterling (POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

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Raheem Sterling will travel with the rest of Manchester City’s squad for their Champions League last-16 second leg against Borussia Monchengladbach.

The 26-year-old was left out of City's match day squad for Saturday's 3-0 win at Fulham, with Pep Guardiola confirming that his omission was an unforced, tactical decision.

Sterling dismissed any suggestion of a fall-out or disagreement with Guardiola as "absolutely false", tweeting that he is "looking forward to a big week with the team".

City travel to Budapest to play their home leg at the Puskas Arena due to coronavirus travel restrictions, and Guardiola said that Sterling would be in contention for selection.

"He travels with the team, of course. All the squad travels tomorrow to do the best in the Champions League," the City manager confirmed.

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"Always Raheem and all the players react really well. I don't expect they are happy and the guys who don't play and are not selected, it's normal.

"It happened since football was created. Raheem has been so important and is so important, for the team and all of us.

"All the players respect my decisions. I never found one player who was happy when they don't play but they react really well and behave really well."

On Sterling's tweet: "He does not need to do it because nothing happened. He wasn't selected that's all."

Guardiola said that his selection decisions are especially difficult due to City's form, which has seen them win 23 of their last 24 games in all competitions.

"When you have 20 top class players, always it will be unfair for some of them," he said. "I love them, they are the main reason why we are in the position, final for the Carabao, Champions League, the FA Cup quarter final versus Everton.

"I understand completely [when players want to play]. That game he was not selected, no more than that."

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