Manchester City have seen many players from their squad feature for their countries on the international stage this summer.
This has led to only a handful of first-team players being involved in City’s pre-season tour of America.
With the Blues having just one game left to play across the pond before returning to Manchester, Pep Guardiola has shared his thoughts on the players who have been particularly busy in recent weeks, with one figure from his squad getting a distinct mention.
- READ MORE: Man City Pre-Season Tour 2024… Destination, Fixtures, How to Watch and More
Pep Guardiola delivers Julian Alvarez fitness verdict ahead of new season
Speaking in a recent press conference (via Man City), Guardiola had this to say about Julian Alvarez when discussing the players who aren’t in the pre-season squad due to them either being on holiday or having international commitments.
He said: “The players deserve their holidays. Julian [Alvarez] deserves now to take his time, what he needs to come back clean, not just with the legs, but especially in the head.
‘Increasingly feasible’: Journalist says it’s ‘very likely’ £51m player will leave Man City this summer
Paris Saint-Germain have now made a contract offer to sign ‘incredible’ Man City player – journalist
Report: Arsenal are now monitoring £100k-a-week Man City player who could leave the club this summer
‘He will be brilliant’: Pundit backs ‘hungry’ Man City player to absolutely shine this season
‘If he gets injured’: Ray Parlour claims Man City are so reliant on £220k-a-week player
“To play every few days in front of 65 or 70 thousand, or 50 thousand people, it is so exhausting. It is a lot of responsibility to do well. This demands a lot of energy, not just physicality that’s why they need a break and a holiday.
“That’s why they are not here. The fans would love it, I would love it but the players need rest.”
Alvarez will have to get up to speed as quickly as possible
Last season saw the 24-year-old feature in 54 games across all competitions, scoring 19 goals and supplying 13 assists along the way.
Over the past couple of weeks, the striker, who Ben Foster claimed back in April was overlooked at times last season, has been representing Argentina in the Olympics where he has started all four matches and played the full 90 minutes in three of them.
Prior to that, the attacker appeared in five out of the six games Argentina played in the 2024 Copa America.
With all of that in mind, it’s clear why Guardiola thinks Alvarez, who he hailed as being “amazing” (via TNT Sports) last season, will be exhausted and could do with a break.
Moving forward, it’ll be interesting to see what sort of shape the Argentine will be in once he returns to City.
