Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola revealed he had never been so frustrated as when John Stones got injured during an international friendly with Belgium.
Kyle Walker is also sidelined with a knee injury picked up while playing for England. Guardiola has expressed his frustration with the lack of communication between club and international team managers, especially when it comes to player injuries. Walker sustained his injury after playing the full 90 minutes in the UEFA Nations League match against Finland, and he’s now set to miss City’s match against Sparta Prague on Wednesday.
Guardiola’s frustration isn’t new. He was equally upset when John Stones played in two friendlies for England back in March, only to miss most of the Premier League season afterward. At the time, Gareth Southgate was the England manager, and Guardiola noted that communication between them has significantly dropped since then.
“Back when I was a player, the national team managers would call the clubs, but now there’s no communication,” Guardiola explained. “Maybe the physios talk, but not the managers. During my first season with Gareth Southgate, there was dialogue, but now it’s faded. I know the players don’t want to get injured, and I always encourage them to go play for their country—it’s an honor. But if it’s a friendly game, they should not come back injured.”
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Guardiola shared that Stones, too, was frustrated when he got injured against Belgium after playing a match against Brazil during the international break in March.
“We work hard to get to the last stages of the season and compete for titles,” Guardiola said. “Our players are well-paid by the club, not by the national teams. There needs to be respect for the clubs. In friendly matches, you can’t risk injuries. Play, yes, but coming back injured? That’s hard to accept.”
Reflecting on the incident with Stones, Guardiola said, “I’ve never been angrier. We were preparing for the Champions League quarterfinals against Real Madrid and fighting for the Premier League title, and two players came back injured from friendlies. I didn’t like it, not one bit.”
With Walker out, Rico Lewis, who can play both full-back positions and central midfield, might continue at right-back for City. Lewis has embraced his versatility, saying, “I haven’t focused on locking down one position yet. The more positions I can play, the better chance I have to get on the pitch. I just want to play my best.”
