Pep Guardiola Unhappy with Kalvin Philips Condition After World Cup Return To Man City

Pep Guardiola, Manchester City’s manager has shown his unhappiness on the condition of the English midfielder, Kalvin Philips, after his return to the club side from the FIFA World Cup 2022 in Qatar. He said, “not in the right condition to train”.

He had costed a whopping £42million for the signing amount from Leeds, but had disappointingly played only mere 40 minutes on pitch in Qatari soil for the Kane’s England. He had also only made four substitute appearances in the current season, owing to a shoulder injury.

He was a doubtful inclusion in the England national team led by Gareth Southgate. And after returning back from Qatar, his current physical had Guardiola questioning the justification of his inclusion in the squad for World Cup, after their Carabao Cup victory over Liverpool.

Kalvin Philips fitness update

Guardiola, talking to the sources said that, Kalvin Philips wasn’t fit and did not arrive from World Cup endeavors in the best condition to train and play. The frustration on his side is justifiable since Guardiola is currently without another World Cup hero, Ruben Dias.

Guardiola had disclosed that Ruben Dias was injured as well and had a hamstring injury from his last game of the World Cup and was going to be out of action for some time.

However, there is one player that Guardiola could be relying on amidst injury-crisis, despite his disappointing campaign in Qatar—Kevin de Bruyne.

After an anticlimactic performance by the ‘golden generation’ of Belgium in the World Cup, the playmaker seems to have gotten back in form for his first club-side game after the tournament, against Girona, where he provided two assists.

“The first training session he was back I was not here but I was told it was brilliant, the game against Girona was brilliant and today he was outstanding,” added Guardiola.

“He just has to find the right fire inside of himself, just to be a little bit, I would say grumpy or upset to play his best. That is his energy inside of him.

“When this happens, what a player: run, assist to score a goal, he is more than a player.

As it stands, on one hand de Bruyne has come back strong from a disappointing World Cup and has recovered his form, while Kalvin Philips is yet to make his mark after the injury recovery.