Ruben Dias has been declared unfit for Manchester City’s Carabao Cup final against Arsenal due to a hamstring injury, dealing a significant setback to Pep Guardiola’s team just hours before their face-off with the Premier League leaders. City approach Sunday’s encounter immediately after exiting the Champions League in the round of 16, having been ousted by record holders, Real Madrid.

Dias was substituted at half-time during the match against Los Blancos, igniting fresh concerns over his participation in the Arsenal clash as the two Premier League title contenders vie for the season’s first piece of silverware. As reported by The Athletic, the City defender will miss the Wembley showdown. Dias remained on the bench during the match against West Ham United days prior due to hamstring problems. He sat out eight fixtures at the start of 2026, limiting his involvement until the previous month.

This presents new defensive challenges for Guardiola, who is already missing January recruit Marc Guehi as the England international is cup-tied due to his participation in the competition with Crystal Palace. Additionally, City are without Josko Gvardiol following his broken leg injury in January, with the Croatian battling to return in time for the remaining matches.

Guehi’s unavailability has already added to the former Barcelona and Bayern Munich head coach’s frustration, but Dias’ injury will further exacerbate his discontent.

Guardiola was left frustrated with the League Cup ruling in February after they defeated Newcastle United to secure their spot in the final.

He stated: “Hopefully in March, we can arrive with the players fit and hopefully you can convince the Carabao Cup that Marc Guehi can play in the final.

“Because it’s difficult to understand that the club who make a big investment to pay one player who belongs to us and I don’t understand why he cannot play the final.

“So, hopefully we write a letter, and hopefully the Carabao Cup can understand. He’s not able to play for a rule that I don’t understand why. Hopefully, they can change it.”

Carabao Cup regulations, introduced for the first time this season, stipulate if a player is signed after the first leg of the semi-final, he is ineligible to participate in the remainder of the competition.

Guehi finalised his transfer to City on January 19, six days after they triumphed over Newcastle United in the semi-final first-leg.

One of the players involved in the victory was Antoine Semenyo who wasn’t cup-tied for the match despite playing for Bournemouth in the second-leg defeat to Brentford.

Guardiola will make another significant selection decision on Sunday as James Trafford is set to stand in for Gianluigi Donnarumma.

Speaking before the final, he stated: “Of course winning helps but we can win the competition on Sunday then after in the league we are bad and go into the opposite.

“I learned that in many competitions and games in a short time of recovery, a mix of Champions League, FA Cup, Carabao Cup, Premier League, you have to have the ability to forget and move forward in the good and bad moments.

“Learnings for that, what you have to do better, this is what we have to do.”

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