Benatia hard at work
Mehdi Benatia cut a solitary figure at the Säbener Strasse on Sunday. Supervised by fitness coach Lorenzo Buenaventura, the centre-back completed a voluntary solo workout, as Pep Guardiola had actually given his men the day off. However, Benatia has missed four of the last five matches with muscular problems and took the opportunity to catch up on some training.
Memory Lane for Alonso and Reina
Xabi Alonso and Pepe Reina will use the international break in late March for a trip down Memory Lane, as the pair will appear in a testimonial match in Liverpool on 29 March. The game at Anfield features all-star teams assembled by Liverpool legends Steven Gerrard and Jamie Carragher to raise funds for social and community projects in the city. Alonso and Reina will be joined by the likes of Thierry Henry, Fernando Torres and John Terry. Alonso made 143 appearances for the Reds between 2004 and 2009, with Reina playing no fewer than 285 games for the club from the north-west of England between 2005 and 2014.