Manchester City have been dealt a significant blow as Oscar Bobb will be sidelined for an extended period following a leg fracture sustained during training. Meanwhile, Pep Guardiola has provided an update on Jack Grealish’s fitness ahead of their Premier League opener against Chelsea.
Oscar Bobb, who had been one of City’s standout performers during pre-season, is set to miss three to four months of action after undergoing surgery on a fractured leg. The injury, which occurred in a freak training incident, dashed Bobb’s hopes of starting City’s new campaign on the right wing, a role he was poised to fill while other senior internationals were returning from their summer break.
Bobb traveled to Barcelona for surgery, and Guardiola expressed hope that the young talent would recover within the next few months. “It happened during a training session—a really unfortunate incident,” Guardiola revealed. “He’s undergoing surgery today, and we hope to have him back in three or four months. We’re deeply saddened for him, not just because of his incredible pre-season but because long-term injuries are always tough. We wish him a speedy recovery and hope to see him back with us soon.”
In contrast, there’s more optimism surrounding Jack Grealish, who might be fit for the season opener at Chelsea this weekend. However, Rodri has been ruled out, as he has yet to return to full training.
Grealish, who was originally slated to start the season, suffered a minor injury in the lead-up to the Community Shield and missed the victory over Manchester United at Wembley. Now, Guardiola has indicated that Grealish could be ready to play against Chelsea, making him available for selection.
On the other hand, Rodri, who only rejoined the squad on Wednesday, won’t be featuring on Sunday. Despite this, Guardiola could still utilize his returning England internationals, including John Stones, Kyle Walker, and Phil Foden, who resumed training on Monday.
Guardiola hinted that while these players might not be fit enough to start, they could make appearances off the bench. “They’ve come back in good shape,” Guardiola noted. “In today’s professional world, players maintain their fitness even during holidays. We’ll evaluate them over the next few days and make a decision on the lineup for Sunday. They might not be ready for 90 minutes, but they could certainly contribute for a few. Aside from Oscar, everyone else is available.”
