Kyle Walker has joined Manchester City’s injury list after returning from international duty with England due to a knee issue and will miss the home match against Sparta Prague in the Champions League on Wednesday.
For Pep Guardiola, this situation is not new.
The City manager mentioned on Tuesday that he had never felt as angry as he did near the end of last season when both Walker and fellow City and England defender John Stones came back from the international break with injuries from friendlies.
These injuries kept them out of important games for City during the Premier League title race and a quarterfinal match against Real Madrid in the Champions League. City was eliminated by Madrid on penalties after two draws.
“I never was so angry like that moment — never ever before was I so disappointed,” Guardiola said.
“It was a friendly game. We were playing in the quarterfinals against Madrid, and in the Premier League to win it. For a friendly game, two players came back injured,” Guardiola added, before shaking his head. “I didn’t like it at all.”
England played two Nations League group matches during the recent international break. Walker did not play in the first game — a 2-1 loss to Greece — and played the entire match in the 3-1 win against Finland on October 13.
“Before, when I was a football player, the national team manager used to talk to the club managers. Now, nobody discusses how the players feel or how they are,” Guardiola said.
“I know,” he continued, “they don’t want to get injured. I always encourage them to join the national team. It’s a pleasure. But when it’s a friendly game, you cannot come back injured. I’m sorry.” Rodri, Oscar Bobb, and Kevin De Bruyne are currently other players missing for City.
De Bruyne is the closest to returning and is back in training, but Guardiola mentioned that the midfielder still doesn’t feel right after getting a groin injury against Inter Milan in the Champions League on September 18.
With De Bruyne now 33 and often dealing with injuries, Guardiola said he doesn’t want to take any risks with the Belgium player.
“It’s not a big issue, but he doesn’t feel completely fine,” Guardiola said. “Kevin is not 22 years old anymore; he has to be fit for his football. He has to be fully fit, and he doesn’t feel comfortable, so he cannot show his incredible talent at his best. He told me, ‘I still don’t feel good.’ So take your time.”
City has four points from its first two matches in the group stage of the updated Champions League after drawing with Inter 0-0 and winning against Slovan Bratislava 4-0.
