Edin Dzeko's future at Manchester City remains uncertain, with manager Manuel Pellegrini suggesting he will not feature in the club's pre-season games until the matter is resolved.
The Bosnia-Herzegovina international has been linked with a move away from the Etihad Stadium in the off-season, with Roma widely reported to be interested in his services.
Dzeko played no part for City in their International Champions Cup clash with Roma on Tuesday, which the Premier League side won on penalties following a 2-2 draw.
And ahead of a clash against Real Madrid on Friday, Pellegrini was unable to shed much light on the future of his forward.
"Edin didn't play the last game as it's not clear if he will continue here but he is still working here with the whole squad," he said.
Pellegrini also confirmed that Fabian Delph would likely make his debut following his move from Aston Villa, while Yaya Toure was once again quizzed on his future at City.
"There was too much speculation about me leaving – it's clear that I have my contract at City and I want to see out my contract," he said.
Meanwhile Pellegrini, a former Real manager, is looking forward to facing his former employers in front of a huge crowd at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
"We are in pre-season and it's a friendly but the fans deserve a good game – I'm sure Real Madrid and us will play a good game," he said.
"Playing in front of 90,000 is big for the players – although the result is not important, both teams will try to win.
"It's always special to play against Real Madrid, especially because of the way the fans supported me when I left there."
