'Never so angry' - Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola admits to fury over John Stones injury with England in March
Updated 22/10/2024 at 18:01 GMT+1
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Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola says he has no time for players returning injured from international friendlies, as he reflected on an incident involving John Stones on England duty in March before their UEFA Champions League quarter-final with Real Madrid last season. Guardiola said he was “never so angry” or “disappointed” and reminded nations it is the club that pays the players.
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Pep Guardiola says he will not tolerate players returning injured from international friendlies as he reminisced on John Stones and Kyle Walker picking up issues on England duty back in March.
Guardiola admitted he "never was so angry" when Stones came off after 10 minutes in the 2-2 draw with Belgium, given City were soon set to face Real Madrid in the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals.
Seven months on and injuries are again a hot topic at the Etihad Stadium after Walker returned from the latest international break with a knee complaint, adding to the absences of Rodri, Kevin De Bruyne and Oscar Bobb.
With City fighting on three fronts at that stage - Europe, the Premier League and the FA Cup - Guardiola hinted some nations were taking unnecessary risks in non competitive games at a crucial point of the season.
The City boss said Walker’s latest return from England duty with an injury “is what it is”, as it was sustained during competitive games in the UEFA Nations League, but argued the incidents in March was different.
“I never was so angry like that moment, never ever before was I so disappointed,” Guardiola told a press conference on Tuesday ahead of Wednesday’s UEFA Champions League match with Sparta Prague - live on TNT Sports and discovery+,
“It was a friendly game, and we were playing quarter-finals against [Real] Madrid and the Premier League to win it [the title], for a friendly game two players come back injured - I didn’t like it at all.
“I know they don’t want to get injured, always I encourage them to go to the national team, it’s a pleasure.Â
“But this friendly game - you cannot come back injured, I’m sorry. They [the players] are the first to [put in] a lot of work behind to arrive in the latter of the season with the chance to win the titles. We are well paid here, the club pays us, not the national teams. So you have to respect the clubs.”
Stones said recently that he knows “straight away” if Guardiola’s not happy with players returning unfit, saying there is "a lot of weight and pressure, from a lot of places, especially when you go away from your club then go back injured. You know how upset and angry and frustrated people there will be, because they need you."
City head into the match with Sparta Prague on the back of a 4-0 win at Slovan Bratislava, which had followed a goalless draw with Inter Milan in their Champions League opener.
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Domestically, City remain the only unbeaten team in the Premier League and sit one point behind leaders Liverpool, with their latest result being a 2-1 win at Wolves courtesy of a late winner from Stones.
“How we celebrate in October, not in May [when a trophy has been won]... I feel the team still has the passion,” said Guardiola, as he looked back at the desire his players are showing in games.
“How they celebrate - they still want it, that means a lot to me. It’s an incredible value the players have.
“The mentality the club has - it’s so difficult to stay consistent for six or seven years. A month, two months, a season - but still now we are there.Â
“You always have moments of ups and downs, but [if] our moments decrease - we talk, we correct and we come back to our rhythm”.
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