Football
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Kelechi Iheanacho replaces Nasri in Man City's Champions League squad

Kelechi Iheanacho is to be included in Manchester City's Champions League squad for the knockout stages of the competition.

City manager Manuel Pellegrini has revealed Iheanacho, 19, who scored a hat trick in Saturday's 4-0 FA Cup win at Aston Villa, will replace the injured Samir Nasri.

The Nigerian was not included in the 25-man squad for the group stages because City had already filled their quota of 17 foreign players.

Nasri, who underwent major surgery to repair a thigh muscle and tendon in November, has expressed hope of being back in training in March, but Pellegrini believes it will still be some time before he is ready to play.

The deadline for changes to be made to the squad is Tuesday, with City playing Dynamo Kiev in their round-of-16 first-leg clash on Feb. 22.

Pellegrini said: "I have decided and I have told Samir Nasri I will take him out of the Champions League list because he needs at least two months more to be fit.

"We need Kelechi now because [Wilfried] Bony is also injured and we cannot take the risk that something happens with Kun [Sergio Aguero], and we don't have a striker for the round of 16. So, Kelechi will be in the Champions League."

Pellegrini made the announcement at a news conference overshadowed by his later revelation that he will be leaving the club in the summer to be succeeded by Bayern Munich coach Pep Guardiola.

The Chilean's immediate priority is a Premier League trip to relegation-threatened Sunderland on Tuesday, which could see his team return to the top of the table if results go their way.

Pellegrini said: "It is always a very difficult game, they are a team fighting not to be relegated. They will play every ball as a final, to win the game. That happens in all games in the Premier League. If you don't play with 100 percent intensity and concentration you are not going to win.''

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