At Manchester City's pre-match press conference for the upcoming first round of the new Premier League season away to Chelsea, manager Pep Guardiola gave detailed answers to a number of hot-button questions about his team.
Regarding Oscar Bob's injury, Guardiola expressed his regret and revealed that Bob will undergo surgery and is expected to take three to four months to recover. He emphasized that the team is looking forward to Bob's return and wished him a speedy recovery.
Talking about the team's preparation, Guardiola said that the players have only had a few training sessions but are in good shape and ready for the game. He specifically mentioned that all the players have returned to the team except Oscar Bob and is looking forward to seeing them at their best in the game.
Guardiola gave a straight no to whether Rodri will be in the squad against Chelsea, stating that he hasn't seen Rodri yet and needs to see how he is fit and feeling.
Guardiola also spoke about meeting Leicester City boss Maresca again, welcoming him and praising Maresca's work at Leicester City. He suggested giving Maresca time and believed he would achieve good results.
In terms of player usage, Guardiola said he would prioritize other players, giving more rest to Stones, Walker and Foden, who have just returned to the team. But he also emphasized that the team must get points in the game as soon as possible, so the decision will be made according to the physical condition and status of the players.
Regarding the transfer market, Guardiola said that City may sign another player before the transfer window closes, but he is very satisfied with the current lineup and will make a decision based on the market situation. He also pointed out that Chelsea signed a lot of players in the transfer market, but the depth of the lineup is too large may also bring problems.
Regarding Cancelo's future, Guardiola said that no offers have been received for him yet and that he is training with the team and performing well. He emphasized that Cancelo's future depends on his agent and the club, but regardless of the outcome, City will treat him like any other player.
Finally, Guardiola also spoke about Phillips' loan departure. He stated that the reason for giving Phillips a few more minutes on the pitch was to give him a chance to return to Manchester City in the future. He confessed that Phillips didn't play as well as he should have at City, mainly because he didn't get enough playing time.
