Pep Guardiola warned the aging core of Manchester City that they should need to leave the club if they are physically unable to deal with the increasing workload.
The city was in the grip of injury crisis all year round and recently lost the central defender duo Manuel Akanji and John Stones because of new fitness problems, stressing why the club has separated from the best part of 65 million pounds sterling to sign Vitor Reis and Abdukodir Khusanov in the January transfer window.
In addition to injuries, City also had to face an aging nucleus – 11 from its team will be over 30 years old in September – which does not think that Guardiola cannot compete with the younger and cooler side.
For players who cannot reliably play several games every week, Guardiola admitted that it may be time for them to move on.
“It’s a reality,” said Guardiola. “We have to sit with doctors, with physios, with players, with the agents, and be clear that some of them cannot keep every three days, every two months, playing all The three, four days.
“So it’s reality. [then] A World Cup. “”
Kevin de Bruyne was chosen for a questioning line. Although widely considered one of the best field circles in the world, the 33 -year -old player plagued by injuries was appointed to the bench for the recent defeat of the Champions League against Real Madrid and did not start that 11 times in the Premier League all season.
When he was asked why de Bruyne did not start against City, Guardiola admitted constantly: “It’s just a decision. It’s on what I saw – for several reasons.
“Also Jeremy [Doku] Did not play – the last match he played was Ipswich, he was incredible, then he was injured. But perhaps for the requirements of how we have to play, for the lack of strength we have and physicity, we need more control and not from top to bottom. “”
