Manchester City received a significant blow ahead of their match against Arsenal in the Carabao Cup final for the 2025/2026 season, which will take place this Sunday evening at Wembley Stadium, as both teams aim to win the title.

The Athletic newspaper confirmed that the Sky Blues will play the final with significant defensive absences, most notably the absence of center-back Ruben Dias due to a hamstring injury, which forced him to leave during the first half of the recent Champions League match against Real Madrid, which ended with Manchester City losing 2-1.

Diaz was also absent from the match against West Ham United in the Premier League, and at the beginning of the year, he suffered a long absence that lasted for eight matches before returning in early February under the leadership of Pep Guardiola.

Portugal's national team coach, Roberto Martinez, also decided not to call up the player for the friendly matches against Mexico and the United States.

Manchester City will also be unable to utilize their new defender Marc Guehi, who is 25 years old and joined the team from Crystal Palace last January, due to his participation with his previous team in the tournament. This prevents him from playing with City in the same competition for the same season.

The Croatian Gvardiol will also miss the final, especially since he is still recovering from a leg fracture he sustained last January.

These absences pose a significant challenge for Pep Guardiola ahead of the anticipated Carabao Cup final against Arsenal, amid both teams' hopes of clinching the title.