After consecutive losses and an ongoing injury crisis, Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola is determined to avoid one thing: using injuries as an excuse. The recent loss to Bournemouth left him visibly frustrated, as he watched his team fall short in the face of the opponent’s energy. Reflecting on the match, Guardiola admitted, “We could not handle their energy,” though he also took a moment to recognize City’s achievement of going 32 Premier League games unbeaten over the past 11 months, calling it “amazing.”
Despite this setback, City has seen some injured players make their way back, as three players returned to the lineup. However, the team also saw key players John Stones and Ruben Dias suffer new injuries, further complicating the season. Guardiola has faced a considerable injury toll among his squad, with 12 of his 20 senior outfield players having already missed games due to various injuries this season. The toll is staggering, with players missing an average of four games each, adding up to 59 instances of absences over 15 games this season alone. Additionally, other players have had to be rotated or rested to prevent further injuries, such as Rico Lewis against Bournemouth and Erling Haaland in the match against Tottenham.
Kyle Walker, who returned to help his exhausted teammates in the Bournemouth game, illustrated the sense of urgency among the squad to step up despite the physical strain. City’s back-to-back defeats mark the first time they’ve lost consecutive games in 13 months, and the challenges continue with an upcoming Champions League away fixture against Sporting, followed by a long trip to Brighton for a Premier League match.
While acknowledging the difficulty of handling the injuries and the congested match schedule, Guardiola has made it clear he will not use these factors as excuses for recent poor performances. He believes the packed fixture calendar has indeed contributed to their injury problems but refuses to publicly complain about it, recognizing that the issue may come across as an excuse in light of their recent losses. He commented, “We could have done better if we had had five more days to be ready, but who can say for sure? I would prefer not to record it on the calendar. We lost a game, so now it appears to be [an excuse].”
Guardiola went on to address the cumulative toll of past seasons, where City has had to play close to 70 games due to their deep runs in various competitions, a load he compared to the NBA but noted that NBA players have a four-month break while footballers get only three days off.
This season, many players’ injuries have stemmed from fatigue, with Phil Foden even suggesting that Rodri’s recent injury was due to overwork, a factor that has impacted his own availability as well. Several City stars, including Walker and Kevin De Bruyne, are dealing with lingering issues from last season’s intense schedule. “It is natural, it is individual,” Guardiola explained, emphasizing the need to manage training sessions carefully to maintain player health for upcoming matches.
Guardiola stressed that City can’t dwell on excuses, stating, “We must accept that the body is what it is, deal with it as best we can, take what we can from today, and go on.” For him, success lies in adapting, staying resilient, and preparing as best as possible with the resources available.
