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Manchester City may have been handed a boost ahead of their clash with Atlético Madrid this week as the Spaniards have seen two key player ‘practically ruled out’.

Pep Guardiola’s side are set to face the Spanish side in the second leg of their Champions League quarter-final clash tomorrow.

They head into the game at the Wanda Metropolitano with a 1-0 lead from the first-leg last week, in which a tight game was won by Kevin de Bruyne’s goal.

The return fixture is likely to be another close affair, with Diego Simeone unlikely to change the defensive approach he employed at the Etihad a week ago.

And now beating Manchester City may have been made slightly more difficult, with El Partidazo de COPE reporting that duo Hector Herrera and Jose Maria Gimenez have been ‘practically ruled out’ for the clash.

The pair did not train with Atlético today, and all signs are that they will be absent from the clash with City as a result.

It should be noted that neither played in the first leg, but both would have been welcomed back warmly for this second-leg clash nonetheless, particularly Gimenez, given left-back Reinildo was forced to play at centre-back at the Etihad.

Whether Manchester City can take advantage again remains to be seen, but the absence of Gimenez and Herrera certainly gives them a bigger chance of doing so.

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