The France right-back suffered an abductor injury in the recent draw with Liverpool, causing him to miss France’s games against Luxembourg and Spain, as well as City’s trip to Arsenal on Sunday.
And manager Pep Guardiola has admitted he could be out for another “two or three weeks.”
However, Pablo Zabaleta is fit and ready to play - and Guardiola reiterated his belief that Gabriel Jesus could return before the end of the season after the 20-year-old’s return to training on Monday.
“Bacary is out two or three weeks more,” Guardiola said. “Pablo is okay.
“Yesterday is the first day he [Jesus] start to go to the pitch to run and walk.
“I don’t know exactly how many weeks he needs to come back but I think he is at the end of the part of his process to come back so we will see.
“Hopefully he can help us in the games at the end of the season.”
City head to Stamford Bridge embroiled in a battle to qualify for next season’s Champions League.
They currently sit fourth in the table, 11 points adrift of leaders Chelsea and five points ahead of fifth-placed Manchester United, who have a game in hand.
It looks set to be one of the most hotly contested races for a top-four spot in recent memory, with just eight points separating third and sixth - and Guardiola believes the importance of being in Europe’s elite competition is clear.
“Yeah it is so important for all 6 teams to qualify for the Champions League,” he said. “To be in Europe is so important. In financial terms and in prestige.
“Chelsea deserve where they are. They won an amount of points and winning an amount of games in a row.
“It is another game, nine left, we have to take points as much as possible and after we will see.”
