Pep Guardiola issues Manchester City fitness update ahead of Bournemouth clash | OneFootball

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has provided an update on the fitness of his side ahead of the final home Premier League game of the campaign against Bournemouth on Tuesday evening.

City need four points from their two remaining Premier League games to guarantee UEFA Champions League football next season and Guardiola will be keen to return to winning ways after his side fell short in the FA Cup final against Crystal Palace on Saturday.

Guardiola made a series of changes to his lineup at Wembley and fielded a midfield two of Bernardo Silva and Kevin De Bruyne – who will play his final home game in a City shirt on Tuesday – with Mateo Kovacic unavailable owing to an injury.

De Bruyne will get an emotional reception at Etihad Stadium as he approaches his final few games in a Manchester City shirt ahead of his departure from the club in June, as it now appears unlikely the 33-year-old will be travelling with the 2023 treble winners to the United States for the FIFA Club World Cup.

John Stones travelled with the Manchester City squad to Wembley but was not part of the 24-player matchday squad as the England international recovers from a thigh injury sustained in the second leg of City’s Champions League Round of 16 defeat to Real Madrid in February.

Rodri was also part of the travelling group for the FA Cup final but Guardiola remains wary of bringing the Ballon d’Or holder back on the pitch after the 28-year-old’s gradual recovery from an ACL injury he picked up against Arsenal in September 2024.

Speaking in a press conference ahead of Tuesday’s Premier League visit from Bournemouth, Guardiola provided an update on his squad’s fitness as Manchester City look to bounce back from their FA Cup final defeat and take one step closer to Champions League football next term.

“We’ll see. Some players are better. Rodri is even better day by day, we’ll see,” Guardiola said, as it remains to be see whether the set of players who have recently returned from injury will be deemed fit to make the cut against the Cherries.

Nathan Ake has returned to training after a successful surgery on a fracture in his foot in March, with Oscar Bobb also understood to be fully fit as Manchester City look to finish their campaign on a high after a disappointing FA Cup final loss that means the Blues will go trophy-less under Guardiola for only the second time.

Josko Gvardiol partnered Ruben Dias in central defence at the weekend and is likely to be given the nod once again by Guardiola, though it remains to be seen whether the Croatian is moved to left-back to accommodate Manuel Akanji, who played at right-back against the Eagles in the FA Cup final.

Tuesday will be about Kevin De Bruyne from a fan’s point of view but Guardiola knows the importance that qualifying for next seaason’s UEFA Champions League holds in Manchester City’s aspirations to attract the best talent to the Etihad Stadium in the summer.