Pellegrini: Yaya Toure to miss Real Madrid match

Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini expects Yaya Toure to sit out his side's Champions League semi-final first leg visit of Real Madrid on Tuesday, after the Ivorian failed to make significant progress from a thigh injury.

Toure sustained the issue toward the end of Saturday's 4-0 dismissal of Stoke City, but seemed keen to play out the remainder of the tie after Pellegrini had used his full quota of substitutes.

"Yaya is going to be out, I think. He hasn't recovered from the muscle injury," Pellegrini told the assembled media on Monday.

"I don't think Yaya Toure will be fit for Sunday (at Southampton), we'll see how he improves during the week."

The only other notable absentee from Tuesday's match is Samir Nasri, who isn't in the Champions League squad due to his long-term injury problems this term.

Another oft-sidelined member of City's ranks who is available is skipper Vincent Kompany. The Belgian defender was present at the press conference.

"I'm 100 percent fit - everything went well and, as always, unfortunately when you're injured you have to work a lot harder than the rest and that's what I did," said Kompany.

The midweek game will be City's first appearance in the continental competition's final four, with Atletico Madrid and Bayern Munich kicking off their two legs on Wednesday.