The updates from the national team camps have been a mix of good and bad news as Pep Guardiola prepares for the final stretch of the season. Ruben Dias and Bernardo Silva were rested for a match, while Kevin De Bruyne and Jack Grealish have been training at City Football Academy. However, Kyle Walker got injured during England’s game against Brazil, Manu Akanji had to withdraw from a Switzerland match due to an injury, and John Stones had to be substituted during the game against Belgium. Despite City having a talented squad, Guardiola prefers a small group to avoid any potential conflicts that may arise from players being left out of matches. Admitting it may be dull, injuries can determine the outcome of the season when it comes to winning trophies. Additionally, find out how a behind closed doors game influenced City’s transfer plans. City have received positive news regarding Kevin De Bruyne’s injury ahead of the upcoming match against Arsenal. City went to Bayern Munich last year for the second leg of their Champions League quarter-final with no injuries, but Nathan Ake’s hamstring injury at the Allianz Arena posed a problem for them. The main reason it was successful was because Manu Akanji played exceptionally well as a left-back against Arsenal and Real Madrid. The team had an easier FA Cup semi-final draw which allowed players to rest. Despite De Bruyne needing to skip some games due to a hamstring injury, Ilkay Gundogan and other players were in good form, making his absence manageable. When the Champions League final arrived, the team had all of its players in good health. The previous year, the situation was quite opposite. Dias was absent during the Champions League quarter-final against Atletico and Kyle Walker’s injury during the second leg caused him to miss the FA Cup semi-final against Liverpool. City had been exhausted from the European competition, leading Guardiola to sit out Rodri, Gundogan, De Bruyne, and Riyad Mahrez during the disappointing defeat at Wembley. John Stones made a comeback from injury to face Real Madrid in the semi-final, but had to leave the game due to injury. Fernandinho came on as a replacement and was outplayed by Vinicius, resulting in a goal.
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