Oleksandr Zinchenko will be available for Manchester City for their game at Everton on Saturday despite his concerns for his home country Ukraine, which is being invaded by Russia. The 25-year-old also attended a demonstration in Manchester on Thursday night.

“He is worried. What would we feel if our country where we were born, where we have family and friends is attacked, killing innocent people, how would you feel? So I guess that’s what he feels,” manager Pep Guardiola said on Friday.

Also Read: US will join EU in sanctioning Putin, Lavrov: White House

Guardiola added that the club supports Zinchenko “unconditionally” as the side prepares to visit Merseyside.

“Oleks is an incredible, strong guy. Of course it’s not easy in the moment but playing in the training session like yesterday he was brilliant so he’s ready to play just in case he has to play,” Guardiola said. 

Also Read: In pics | Russian invasion disrupts normality in Ukraine

Meanwhile, West Ham has granted compassionate leave to 32-year-old winger Andriy Yarmolenko, who is Ukraine‘s second all-time leading goalscorer.

“He’s not in a really good position at the moment,” manager David Moyes said Friday.

“I spoke with him on Thursday at the training ground and he was upset, which you can imagine and rightly so. We just hope everything goes well and all his family members keep safe.”

West Ham hosts Wolverhampton on Sunday.

Meanwhile, UEFA has moved the Champions League final venue for the 2021/22 season from the Gazprom Arena in St Petersburg in Russia to the Stade de France in the French capital of Paris following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The final will take place on May 28.