Why is John Stones Not Playing Against Real Madrid?

We are minutes away from a highly anticipated kick-off between the Spanish giants Real Madrid and Premier League outfit Man City at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu in Madrid.

Pep Guardiola's men will be eager to take their revenge on Los Blancos for knocking them out of the UEFA Champions League in two consecutive seasons. The Cityzens were stunned by Bayer Leverkusen in their previous European outing, as they endured a 2-0 loss; nonetheless, the English side will keep it behind while playing Real Madrid away. Man City will not have their experienced centre back John Stones, available for this away trip to the Spanish capital, in a make-or-break tie.

Is John Stones Playing Today in Real Madrid vs Man City?

The commanding English defender John Stones has been a remarkable player for Man City in their backline over the years. His experience and composure have helped Pep Guardiola and his team to lift numerous silverware, including six Premier League titles and a continental treble in the 2022-23 season.

Over the years, the 31-year-old central defender has been a vital cog for both club and country. In this term, Stones is being fairly utilised by Guardiola as a squad player. However, Stones has picked up an injury recently, which means he has been left out of Man City's away trip to Madrid for Wednesday's matchup.

Ahead of the game, in the pre-match press conference, the Spanish tactician did not reveal much detail about John Stones' leg injury. Pep told, “His leg is injured. I don't know yet how serious it is.” When asked why John Stones is on the sidelines. The Englishman was absent from City's recent 3-0 triumph over Sunderland in the Premier League.

John Stones Struggles for Regular Minutes in 2025-26

The six-time Premier League champion John Stones has struggled to secure regular minutes in the 2025-26 campaign. Domestically, he started the first three league matches before a muscle injury setback disrupted his rhythm. Since then, Stones has only started a single match in the English top division.

In contrast, the English international was a mainstay in the Champions League campaign for Man City, starting in four out of five European games. His most recent involvement in Europe was in a 2-0 defeat to Leverkusen, where John was captaining his side from the backline alongside Nathan Ake.