Kyle Walker makes Man City’s Champions League final squad despite missing training with back injury

Manchester City have named a full-strength squad to travel to Istanbul for the Champions League final. 

The Premier League and FA Cup champions – in search of a historic Treble on Saturday – have no surprise squad absentees, with Kyle Walker fit enough for a spot on the place to Turkey. 

The English defender missed a training session with a back problem on Tuesday as City stepped up their preparations. 

However, the 33-year-old played down concerns over his fitness, insisting that nothing would stop him from playing in the showpiece spectacle in Istanbul. 

It is the strongest possible squad that Pep Guardiola has at his disposal, with no real injury concerns to think of in his bid for a first ever Champions League trophy for City.  

There are no shock absentees to speak of as Pep Guardiola names his Champions League final squad

Erling Haaland is unsurprisingly included after his stunning 52-goal heroics this season so far

In goal, Ederson will likely take the gloves, with Stefan Ortega – who deputised between the sticks against Manchester United on Saturday – and veteran Scott Carson on the bench.

Walker joins his team-mates in defence, with eight players included in the squad at the back, although John Stones may continue to feature in midfield. 

Just six midfielders are included in the squad, with Maximo Perrone making the cut and versatile youngster Cole Palmer joining the likes of Rodri, Kevin de Bruyne and Ilkay Gundogan. 

And six forwards will be on the plane to Turkey, led unsurprisingly by 52-goal Erling Haaland.

City will take on cup specialists Inter in the showpiece final, after the Italians saw off Serie A winners Napoli in the last-eight and arch nemesis AC Milan in the semi-finals.

This season, Simone Inzaghi’s side have lifted the Coppa Italia and Supercoppa Italiana, with the coach taking his unbeaten record to seven finals. 

As three-time winners, Inter boast the greater European pedigree but City will go into the match as firm favourites against the side that finished third in Serie A this term.

Guardiola, however, insists what has happened in the past – and even current form – counts for little now.

Simone Inzaghi has won seven consecutive finals and his Inter side have greater European pedigree

‘It’s really good to travel in a few days to Istanbul. We go together and it is a dream to be here.

‘We’re going to try to do our best and we know the final is how you behave in that specific 95 minutes, not history.

‘For history, they are better than us but it is about what you have to do to be better than the opponent in 95 minutes.

‘It doesn’t count what you have done in the group stages or the Premier League or the FA Cup. We have to be better than them.’