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14 hours ago
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In 17 years of coach career at the highest level, Pep Guardiola had never experienced such a complicated exercise. Not many people had seen him coming, especially not the main protagonists. Manchester City was released from a year to four trophies in 2023, and two more new lines in the charts in 2024 (Premier League and Community Shield). Seeing the club collapse in such a way this season is completely unexpected. There are no longer the disappointments since the summer, between an early elimination in League Cup, slaps in the league (Tottenham, Liverpool, Arsenal) and in the Champions League (Sporting CP, Juventus, PSG), before the face of grace facing At Real Madrid.
On the two meetings against Kylian Mbappé and his band, the Skyblues did not exist. They once again gave the expression of a certain helplessness. In addition to the mental wear and tear of players and members of the technical staff, the injuries of major players cost dearly. We think of course of Rodri, Ballon d'Or, and absent for the whole season after being the Crusaders in September but also of Kevin de Bruyne, Nathan Ake, Ederson, Jack Grealish or Jeremy Doku. For a week, Guardiola has deplored injuries for at least two months of Manuel Akandji, and possibly John Stones, who was injured in the thigh against Real Madrid from the first minutes.
“”Many players cannot continue to do what we were doing»»
By adding all the packages since the start of the season, the Cityzens missed 100 games. A bewildered figure. While he extended his contract only a few weeks ago, Pep Guardiola confirmed at a press conference that a big household will be done in the workforce this summer. According to him, some players are no longer in physical capacity to continue at a frantic pace. “”We have to sit with doctors, players, agents and be clear that some of them cannot continue to play every three days. It is reality. Many players cannot continue to do what we were doing in the past week after week. Play in different competitions, travel without problem. Where are you asking me for my concern? She's there. “
Players at the end of the contract, like De Bruyne (33) and Ilkay Gündogan (34) probably live their last weeks in a club they have propelled to the top. “”We deserve to have a bad season, it can happen. The reality is that for the future, if we want to be up there again, in the last rounds of the Champions League, we need players in shape and available. So of course, I am worried»Assures the Catalan technician, who has not mentioned his personal future despite rumors from Spain in the last hours of a possible departure at the end of the season. It does not seem to be placed in the cart and rather plans to participate in the reconstruction of the workforce started at the last transfer window.
“”It was like that all season»»
“”Bad results can sometimes happen, but it's too often this season. It's very demanding, the teams are faster, stronger and we cannot manage this right nowcontinues the 54 -year -old coach at a press conference, two days to receive Liverpool. I remember that before the first leg against Real, we had all the central defenders back and I said: “Now guys, you will see”. A week later, two central defenders were absent for several months. It was like that all season.»Arrivals this winter for more than 200 M € from Omar Marmoush, Nico Gonzalez, Abdukodir Khusanov, Vitor Reis and to a lesser extent by Claudio Echeverri are already the sign of a deep mutation. It is far from over.
