City must beat the Belgian side at the Etihad Stadium to avoid elimination from European competition, having slumped to 25th in the league-phase table following a dramatic capitulation at Paris St Germain last week.
With fellow centre-backs Nathan Ake and Ruben Dias out and new signing Abdokodir Khusanov ineligible, City boss Guardiola now wants Stones to step up.
Guardiola said: “Listen, he has to play – unless he says to me that he promises he (really) cannot play and after that Josko (Gvardiol) will be central defender and I will invent who plays full-back.
With veteran right-back Kyle Walker having also left, the club brought forward summer spending plans to sign defenders Khusanov and Vitor Reis, and forward Omar Marmoush this month.
The England defender has made only eight starts for Manchester City this season in an injury-hit campaign and not completed 90 minutes since October.
