This weekend will see Manchester City play their first competitive fixture of the new season. Pep Guardiola’s side will face off against Manchester United in the FA Community Shield at Wembley tomorrow. Heading into tomorrow’s game Pep Guardiola has outlined the plan for his squad during the early stages of the 24/25 season.
Speaking during his pre-game press conference ahead of tomorrow’s match Guardiola explained that four of his key players would miss the curtain raiser to the 24/25 season. The City manager told the media that Phil Foden, John Stones, Kyle Walker and Rodri will all return to the club next week. Pep Guardiola told the media: “We try to give them the best rest as possible as much as possible. We would like more time but it is what it is, we gave them a lot. All the players came back, the England players (Phil Foden, Kyle Walker and John Stones) and Rodri will come back next week.”
Guardiola also told the media that he’d have liked to have given his players more rest this summer. But as that wasn’t possible it will be about rotating his players through the early stages of the 24/25 season. He explained: “What we like to give them is what it is, don’t think about the schedule. What’s next, training sessions, it’s just step by step, the next game, try to be smart enough to the training and the right amount of time, so be fresh in the mind. So rotate the players as much as possible, and game by game we’ll see what happens.”
The early stages of the 24/25 season will likely be about building into the new campaign for Manchester City. Given that the world champions generally start new seasons slowly it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Pep Guardiola’s side grind out results at the beginning of next season. A host of City’s key players have had a delayed start to pre-season so it may take them time to click into gear. But despite this, they will be determined to get one over their arch-rivals at Wembley tomorrow.
