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Pep Guardiola revealed he had “never” been as angry as he was when John Stones was injured playing in a friendly for England in March, just before Manchester City’s Champions League quarter-final against Real Madrid.
The Catalan was furious with Gareth Southgate after two of his key defenders sustained injuries during the spring international break, even though Stones actually proved fit to play both legs against the eventual Champions League winners.
Kyle Walker had gone off against Brazil and was not in the City squad for their subsequent four games, starting the sixth match after the international break, while Stones limped off with an abductor muscle problem after just nine minutes against Belgium.
Guardiola’s worst fears about Stones were not realised as the centre-back was in the matchday squad for the 0-0 draw against Arsenal, City’s next fixture, and began the subsequent game against Crystal Palace.
But the City manager was annoyed with the lack of communication from former England manager Southgate and that he picked Walker and Stones to begin with.
“I was never so angry like that moment,” he said. “Never was I so disappointed. It was a friendly game and we’re playing the quarter-finals against Madrid and he comes back injured from a friendly. I didn’t like it.”
Guardiola claimed Southgate had ignored him for years, saying they talked: “Never. Before when I was a player, the national manager called the club manager but now nobody talks. For the first or second season with Gareth but not since. Sometimes [Netherlands manager] Ronald Koeman [calls] because he’s a friend of mine.
“I know they don’t want to get injured. I always encourage players to go to the national team but if it is a friendly game you cannot come back injured when you are playing the quarter-finals of the Champions League. They are the first to make a lot of work to arrive in the latter stages of the season with a chance to win the title. The club pay us well, not the national teams. So we have to respect that. you can play but you cannot come back injured.”
City will be without the injured Walker, as well as Kevin de Bruyne, Oscar Bobb and Rodri, when they face Sparta Prague on Wednesday.