Pep Guardiola shared updates on Kevin De Bruyne’s injury status ahead of Manchester City’s Carabao Cup clash with Tottenham Hotspur, revealing that the midfielder’s condition remains uncertain.
Initially, De Bruyne’s injury, sustained during the Champions League draw with Inter Milan on September 18, wasn’t expected to keep him sidelined long. Guardiola had hinted he might return as soon as City’s late September game against Newcastle United. Yet, five weeks later, the Belgian star remains out, even after participating in recent training sessions. Guardiola emphasized last week that De Bruyne needs to reach peak fitness before rejoining the lineup, noting his concern over the number of players currently unavailable.
Ahead of the Tottenham match, Guardiola addressed De Bruyne’s ongoing recovery from a lingering pelvis issue, stating, “I would like to tell you [when he’ll return], especially I would like to know it. But I don’t know. He feels better in training but to go to the level that we need, the competition, when he kicks the ball or something he still has pain. He doesn’t feel…and Kevin has to feel good to express his huge talent.”
When asked if De Bruyne could declare himself fully fit soon, Guardiola responded, “He is feeling better, but not the best. For sure if the guys don’t come back as quick as possible, we will struggle because we cannot sustain with 14 or 15 players this season. We need the players to come back. It is what is. Hopefully, that can happen after the international break.”
With a squad hampered by injuries, Guardiola hinted at possibly calling up youth players for the match against Tottenham. However, he tempered this idea, citing the level of competition and City’s packed schedule, which includes Saturday’s trip to Bournemouth. He explained, “Now we have a problem that I have a lot of injured players that I cannot rotate. I don’t want to put too much pressure on the young players at this stage against this opponent. That’s why I have to make a mix for the players, for the split minutes—45 minutes, 45 minutes.”
Addressing the logistical challenges of City’s intense schedule, Guardiola continued, “We will arrive at 3 a.m. on Thursday night and then Friday night we travel to Bournemouth. It’s a really intense game for how good they are. That’s why I had to try and think about one eye on that. After we travel to Lisbon and three days’ recovery, it will be so difficult this time.”
Guardiola also noted the mental edge that a team like Tottenham might have, especially facing a four-time Premier League champion like City. “They are coming from a defeat, and I know what is happening mentally, playing against Man City…I know they will be the best. The Carabao Cup, we won four in a row, and I used the first rounds to play the guys who didn’t play regularly. When I arrived at the semi-finals, I took this competition seriously.”
As Guardiola grapples with squad limitations, he’s focusing on balancing City’s immediate and upcoming challenges, all while ensuring his star players return fully fit for the season’s demanding second half.
