Guardiola reveals why Haaland, Cancelo were taken off in Man City’s draw with Dortmund

Both players started the game at Signal Iduna Park, but after a first half in which they both performed far below par, neither returned to the field for the second half, with Bernardo Silva and Manu Akanji coming in as their substitutions.

For Haaland, the visit to Dortmund was a welcome home party after two incredible years he had spent with the club, before moving to the Etihad this summer.

At the sound of the final whistle, the Norwegian forward stepped onto the field to applaud the Dortmund supporters.

The City manager revealed after the goalless game that both the Norwegian and defender Cancelo had both been feeling under the weather in the days before the game.

“Erling had a bit of fever before the game, Joao as well. I saw him tired, Joao as well,” he told BT Sport. “That’s why we change it. In that period we struggle a lot.”

“Three things: I saw him so tired. The second one he had a bit of a fever, like Joao. The third, he had a knock in his feet. That is why he wasn’t able to play in the second half.

“I don’t know right now. They were a little bit concerned at half-time but I saw him walking OK at the end.”

After getting a much-needed point to confirm the top spot in their Champions League group, Guardiola’s stooges will now turn their attention back to the Premier League where they still trail Arsenal by two points.

The Cityzens will on Saturday, travel to King Power Stadium to take on Leicester City before seeing off their Champions League group stage campaign with a final game against Sevilla.

It remains unknown if Haaland and Cancelo will be available with City’s next set of pre-World Cup games against Leicester, Sevilla, Fulham, Chelsea and Brentford.