Manchester City will come up against a couple of familiar faces when they take on Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League tonight.
Argentinian forward Claudio Echeverri is currently on loan with the German side from City and is eligible to play against his parent club.
Midfielder Aleix Garcia is also returning to familiar ground, having come through the City academy and spent five years in Manchester early in his career.
Echeverri, 19, impressed during City's Club World Cup campaign in the summer before being allowed to leave to gain experience.
His opportunities have so far been limited in the Bundesliga but he has started three times in the Champions League.
"He is in my thoughts for this game," said coach Kasper Hjulmand, speaking at a press conference at the Etihad Stadium on Monday night delayed by two hours after travel problems.
"He has played a lot of minutes in the Champions League and I know he is ready for this match as well."
City manager Pep Guardiola had earlier appeared to express frustration at Echeverri’s lack of action.
He said: "Always we love that the players on loan play a lot of minutes. We have an incredible appreciation about him as a football player.
"What’s happening at Leverkusen, you have to ask. I don’t know but his agent will know everything."
Garcia is looking forward to a reunion with Guardiola despite failing to establish himself under his fellow Spaniard.
The 28-year-old made just four first-team appearances at City before moving on in 2020 after a series of loans.
Garcia found his feet at Girona before joining Leverkusen – whose ranks also include England and former Liverpool defender Jarell Quansah – last year.
He said: "It is going to be special to return here and see Pep. I’ve said always he is one of the best.
"I learnt from him a lot when I was here. We didn’t talk too much lately but we played golf in the summer and when I see him we always speak."
