Manchester City once again pay the price for international duty | OneFootball

Over the past few months the international breaks have become a sore point for Manchester City. This season alone has seen Nathan Ake and Kyle Walker pick up injuries on international duty. Last season saw John Stones pick up an injury in a meaningless friendly. In the end it’s the clubs that pay the price for the host of international tournaments on the football calendar. That is something Manchester City know all to well.

As reported by Jack Gaughan for the Daily Mail Kyle Walker picked up a knee injury during England’s recent 3-1 Nations League win over Finland. City’s captain missed their 2-1 win over Wolves last weekend. He will also miss tonight’s Champions League clash with Sparta Prague. Walker’s injury follows the hamstring injury suffered by Nathan Ake in September while playing for the Netherlands. The fact that both injuries occurred during UEFA Nations League games which are essentially glorified friendlies just adds to the frustration.

Speaking during his pre-game press conference yesterday ahead of tonight’s clash with Sparta Prague Pep Guardiola expressed his frustration with the lack of communication between the clubs and countries. He explained: “When I was a player the national team manager called the clubs, now nobody talks. About how they feel, how they are. Maybe the physios talk but the managers never ever. In the first or second season with Gareth yes, but now no.”

One injury in particular infuriated Pep Guardiola.

But the injury suffered on international duty by a Manchester City that really infuriated Pep Guardiola was the one suffered by John Stones late last season. The defender picked up an injury in a friendly before City were due to take on Real Madrid in last season’s UEFA Champions League quarter-final. Guardiola said: “I was never so angry as that moment [in March]. Never ever before I was so disappointed. It was a friendly game and we were playing the quarter-finals against Real Madrid and to win the Premier League. For a friendly game, for two players coming back injured. No, no, no. I didn’t like it, at all.”

Pep Guardiola added that he accepts that players must play for their countries. But getting injured in a friendly isn’t acceptable. He further explained: “I always encourage them to go to the national team, but if it’s a friendly game you cannot come back injured, I’m sorry. If you are focused, if it is a friendly game you cannot come back injured when you are playing the quarter finals of the Champions League. We are well-paid here. The club pay us, not the national teams. Sometimes you have to respect the clubs. In friendly games you cannot be injured. You can play, absolutely, but you cannot come back injured.”

Summary.

Unfortunately players get injured. That is just part of the game. But key players getting injured on international duty just makes it that bit more frustrating. Manchester City know this as well as any club. Unfortunately it’s now just a part of the game given that the football calendar is unlikely to be scaled back. It just appears that when the international breaks come around it is a case of crossing your fingers and hoping Manchester City’s players come back fit after their international duties.