Football
Manchester City Boss Pep Guardiola Unleashes Frustration at England After Injury to Kyle Walker
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Pep Guardiola has expressed his frustration with the England national team after yet another Manchester City player returned from international duty with an injury.
Kyle Walker, the latest victim, picked up a knee problem while representing the Three Lions in the UEFA Nations League.
The defender will now miss Manchester City’s Champions League clash against Sparta Prague, joining teammate Kevin De Bruyne on the sidelines.
Guardiola’s anger stems from a similar incident last year when both Walker and John Stones suffered injuries during friendly matches against Brazil and Belgium.
The injuries came at a crucial point in the season and jeopardised City’s chances of winning the Premier League and Champions League.
"I never was SO ANGRY like in that moment" 🤬
Pep Guardiola reveals his FURY after John Stones was injured last season while playing in an @England friendly 😤
🔗 https://t.co/h34u9BR8ns pic.twitter.com/GZCm4QV5ee
— Hayters TV (@HaytersTV) October 22, 2024
“I was never as angry like that moment,” Guardiola said. “Never ever before was I so disappointed. It was a friendly game. And we were playing Champions League quarter-finals against Madrid and the Premier League to win it, and from friendly games for two players to come back injured. I didn’t like it at all.
“We are well-paid here, the club pays us, not the national teams. So you have to respect the club. In friendly games, you cannot get injured, it cannot happen. You can play, absolutely. But you cannot come back injured.”
De Bruyne, who has been out with an injury for a month, is also expected to miss the Sparta Prague match. Guardiola cautioned the Belgian against rushing his return to action, stating that he needs to be fully fit to contribute effectively.
City will be aiming for their first home win of the Champions League group stage against Sparta Prague. The match is a crucial one for the English side, who have not lost a European game in 90 minutes since May 2022.