Guardiola still very angry with suspended Walker: "He deserved it"

Pep Guardiola

is still "furious" with Kyle Walker following his three-match

suspension. 

Walker was sent off in the 82nd minute of the Cityzens 2-1 loss to RB Leipzig in the group stage, despite the

champions having already qualified for the knockout stages. 

City contested Walker's ban, but it was maintained, with Walker missing the last-16 tie against Sporting CP as well as the first leg of the quarter-finals, despite Guardiola's team advancing to the last eight after dominating the first leg 5-0. 

The Premier League toppers are low on defensive alternatives for Wednesday's second leg at the Etihad Stadium. Ruben Dias is out for the next month with a hamstring injury, Nathan Ake is still recovering from an injury, and Joao Cancelo is ill. 

Guardiola's senior choices at center-back are John Stones and Aymeric Laporte, while Oleksandr Zinchenko appears to be the most feasible candidate at left-back. 

Guardiola expressed his displeasure with Walker by saying he doesn't know who will step in at right-back. 

"He deserved it. Kyle Walker deserved the three," Guardiola said during a news conference when asked about City's failure to win their appeal.

"When one player does this stupid thing he deserves the three games, I'm sorry. I'm not so kind to Kyle in this kind of action.

"I'm still so angry with him, so angry. He knows it. It's not necessary to discuss that [with him].

"He's so important, Kyle for us. Did you see the game he played against United? But in Leipzig, we've qualified already, 75, 80 minutes to make this kind of action? So he deserves the three games.

"The club appealed, I did not agree. They had to do it because in other cases that were quite similar it was just two games but he deserved it. Hopefully he learns for the future."

Luke Mbete, an 18-year-old defender who is expected to be named in

's roster, is one youth prospect who might be relied upon.

"He's trained with us for a long time, the application is so high, a guy who wants to learn," Guardiola said.

"Still young but tomorrow he'll be with the squad and maybe we will need him, we will see."

Fernandinho, on the other hand, has been mentioned as a prospective defensive replacement, either at right-back or at center-back. 

Although there has been speculation of Fernandinho becoming a coach, Guardiola wants to retain the Brazilian in his team if at all possible. 

"I would love [to offer him a new contract]," Guardiola said. 

"I'm so glad to have him he's an incredible captain and player. I have a feeling now at 36, 37, he struggled a little bit coming back from holidays but now he's getting his rhythm.

"For him he doesn't care, he will play against Peterborough. Other players his age wouldn't want to play there in cold weather, but he wants to help to give rest to Rodri. At the end of the season, Txiki [Begiristain, City's director of football] and the club have to decide."

Meanwhile, if Kevin De Bruyne plays, he faces a ban, so Guardiola may leave him out.

"He's maybe not [going to start]," Guardiola said with a laugh. "We will see."

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