Pep Guardiola shared his thoughts on Phil Foden and Kevin De Bruyne ahead of Manchester City‘s upcoming Champions League clash, shedding light on Foden’s limited playing time this season.
Despite Foden’s stellar performances last year, where he played a key role in helping City secure their fourth consecutive Premier League title, the young midfielder has yet to start a Premier League game this season. Guardiola revealed that Foden’s struggles during the European Championship with England, coupled with some illness earlier in the season, have contributed to his slow start.
Foden has mostly been used as a substitute, with his only start coming in the League Cup against Watford. In the absence of the injured Kevin De Bruyne, Guardiola has leaned on veteran Ilkay Gundogan in midfield. De Bruyne is still sidelined with a thigh injury that he sustained against Inter, and Guardiola admitted there’s no clear timeline for his return before the next international break.
As fans eagerly await whether Foden will start in City’s Champions League match against Slovan Bratislava, Guardiola expressed confidence in the midfielder’s progress. “As soon as he feels good, he’ll be back,” Guardiola said. He praised Foden’s performance off the bench against Newcastle, saying, “The 30 minutes he played at St James’ Park, I saw something I liked that I didn’t see against Watford.”
Guardiola emphasized the challenges Foden has faced, reminding everyone that “after the Euros, he had been two months without training, dealing with some issues.” But now, he sees positive signs: “He’s smiling again, and he’s getting back into his rhythm. We’ve managed without him, but he’s a vital player for us, and I have no doubt that his love for the game will bring him back to help the team like he always has since arriving at Manchester City.”
