Pep Guardiola Reveals Plans to Make the Best of International Break to Recover Key Players for Manchester City's Title Race
Guardiola hopeful that international break will help ease injury woes and bring key players like Ruben Dias and John Stones back into the fold.
Manchester City finished the latest Premier League weekend still in second place, but they’re now five points behind Liverpool, who sit comfortably at the top. It’s been a rough patch for City, with Pep Guardiola’s team losing 2-1 to Brighton & Hove Albion in a surprising upset. This marks City’s fourth loss in a row, something Guardiola has never faced before in his career.
On Saturday, City looked like they were going to win after Erling Haaland scored the first goal, but Brighton shocked everyone with a comeback, scoring twice to take the victory. Now, Guardiola and his team are grateful for the upcoming international break, seeing it as a much-needed chance to rest and recharge.
In a recent press conference with Hayters Tv, Guardiola shared why he believes the timing of the break couldn’t be better for City. “I think everybody needs it, yeah,” he said. “It will be good for all of us, for the players, for ourselves.” He especially mentioned two key players dealing with injuries, saying, “Ruben [Dias] comes back and hopefully John Stones comes back and hopefully, the other players.”
City’s season has been hampered by a growing injury list. Players like Rodri, Kevin De Bruyne, Oscar Bobb, Ruben Dias, John Stones, Jack Grealish, Nathan Ake, Manuel Akanji, and Jeremy Doku have all faced time off the pitch. De Bruyne is starting to make a return, but Guardiola hopes the break will help him, and other players, get fully fit again. “We just need everyone back to help us,” he hinted, showing just how important he sees these players’ return for City’s title chances.
Despite the recent rough spell, Guardiola and his staff aren’t panicking. Reports suggest that City won’t rush into new signings in the January transfer window unless a unique opportunity arises. The feeling in the team is one of confidence—they believe they can bounce back with their current squad if everyone is healthy and playing at their best.
Guardiola’s main focus during this break will be on making sure his players recover, giving them the best chance to come back strong for the rest of the season.
