Pep Guardiola Faces Crisis as Injury-Hit Manchester City Struggle Ahead of Juventus and Manchester United Clashes
Manchester City are grappling with a growing crisis after missing seven key players in their draw against Crystal Palace, with Rico Lewis now suspended for the critical clash with Manchester United. Adding to their woes, Jack Grealish and Jeremy Doku could only manage brief cameos due to fitness struggles.
Captain Kyle Walker is out of form, and Pep Guardiola has admitted that his squad’s fitness issues are dire. Speaking after the game, Guardiola sounded defeated:
“We don’t have players to come back [against Juventus]. The solution is give me players back—but it’s not possible right now.”
With just three senior defenders available, City’s upcoming Champions League tie at Juventus has become a must-win. Guardiola emphasized the challenge, calling this season one of survival:
“It will be more difficult, but maybe at the end, we’ll have more satisfaction in how we faced these problems.”
Set to be without John Stones, Nathan Ake, Manu Akanji, Mateo Kovacic, Phil Foden, Oscar Bobb, and Rodri, Guardiola is relying heavily on academy players to fill the gaps. Despite his rallying cry to “accept the challenge,” City’s mounting injuries and dwindling resources leave little hope for improvement in the near future.
