A major overhaul is on the horizon for Manchester City, and it looks like the injury-prone veterans are at the top of the list for a clear-out as they struggle to keep up with the demands of modern soccer.
Pep Guardiola was candid on Friday about the new “reality” facing the team after what has been his toughest season yet at a club that has raised the bar in the Premier League but now seems to be nearing the end of an era.
Winning a record fifth consecutive Premier League title is looking unlikely, and the hope of clinching another Champions League title has vanished after a disappointing two-legged defeat to Real Madrid before the round of 16.
It appears that significant changes are needed.
“It’s incredibly demanding,” Guardiola said. “Teams are faster, stronger, and we’re not coping with it right now.”
Guardiola is particularly frustrated with the injury problems that have plagued his squad all season long. Rodri, the key midfielder, suffered an ACL injury in September and is out for the remainder of the season. The team’s four center backs—Ruben Dias, John Stones, Manuel Akanji, and Nathan Ake—have all faced lengthy absences. Kevin De Bruyne seems to be past his prime after serious injuries and didn’t even make it off the bench during the lopsided 3-1 defeat to Madrid on Wednesday, which highlighted City’s decline this season.
While Guardiola didn’t call out specific players, he hinted that some aren’t tough enough to handle the increasingly packed schedule of games every few days. Players like Stones, De Bruyne, Ake, and even Jack Grealish could be at risk, along with those in their 30s—like Ilkay Gundogan, Bernardo Silva, and Mateo Kovacic—who have struggled with the physical demands of the game this season.
“We have to sit down with the doctors, physios, the players, their agents and be clear that some of them cannot sustain every three days,” Guardiola said. “Every month or two months playing every three or four days — this is the reality.
“It’s one more year and then a World Cup. And we have already a lot of players who cannot sustain what we have done in the past, every week, playing in different competitions, traveling, without any problems. You (ask) me where am I concerned and it’s just that. The quality is there. But there’s a lot of quality we cannot use because of the injuries.”
Having over 50 games is excessive.
As more matches are added to the calendar, Guardiola anticipates that the situation will worsen. This season, City's schedule includes the newly expanded Club World Cup, which takes place from mid-June to mid-July.
“For many, many years, we have been discussing this. ... More than 50 games is excessive for the players; it’s too much for human beings, and the body cannot handle it. When we reach 65 or 70 games, we see the consequences. This issue affects not just Man City but all clubs. Madrid has also faced significant injury problems. I am concerned that this will only get worse in the future.”
Guardiola continues to deal with injuries. Stones, who sustained an injury early in the match against Madrid on Wednesday, may need surgery on his quadricep and could be sidelined for approximately two to three months. Akanji is expected to miss a similar duration due to a leg injury incurred in the first leg against Madrid.
Erling Haaland was absent for the second leg in Madrid due to a knee injury and is uncertain for the upcoming Premier League match against Liverpool on Sunday.
Regarding De Bruyne, who has not played in the last two matches, Guardiola attributed this to his “decisions,” while hinting that the midfielder’s current physical condition influenced the choice.
“Never, ever is it personal, never ever am I upset,” Guardiola said of De Bruyne. “But for the demands, for the way we need to play for the absence of strength and physicality we have, we need games with more control, not (going) up and down.”
The rebuilding process has commenced.
City has already initiated its refresh, investing over $200 million in five players during the recent winter transfer window: midfielder Nico Gonzalez, defenders Abdukodir Khusanov, Vitor Reis, and Christian McFarlane, along with Egyptian forward Omar Marmoush.
This may just be the beginning.