Pep Guardiola
Kyle Walker and Kevin De Bruyne are on the verge of full fitness for Manchester City, yet Pep Guardiola is cautious about their return. Walker, the captain, has been absent for nearly a month, missing seven out of City’s 15 games this season, owing to his post-international break injury. Meanwhile, vice-captain De Bruyne has not played since a Champions League game against Inter Milan in September, sitting out nine fixtures. Although he rejoined the squad for the Bournemouth match, he remained on the bench even with City trailing since the ninth minute. Walker started at Bournemouth but was visibly not at his best, having rushed his return due to the team’s ongoing injury issues.
Pep Guardiola said, “He came in yesterday and was feeling better but it has been one month and a half. The game was so demanding. Maybe in the last 10-15 minutes we could have done it. With Kevin, I try to take care of him. He finished well, started well and injured again. Of course we need him and he will be back and try in the right moments to do it.” On Walker, Guardiola continued, “Since he arrived this season after the Euros, he trained maybe four or five sessions with us. He can play with no training due to his human condition and physicality. Of course he needs to get back to a routine of playing games and being focused on what we have to do. The last game he played was the national team with England. He arrived and didn’t train once until yesterday. Six minutes [he trained], made the boxes and six minutes, and then played today 90 minutes against [Antoine] Semenyo and all the fast players. It is not easy. Of course we need him, he is our captain. His best, step by step hopefully he can reach it.”
