Bandaged Manchester City duo ‘playing through the pain’ as double fracture confirmed | OneFootball

A duo of Manchester City players have reportedly been ‘playing through the pain’ in recent weeks after sustaining fractures to their hands in January.

The problems have been overcome at a time when Pep Guardiola’s side are continuing to battle on three different fronts during the business end of the season, with the month of April highlighting the difficulties that the Catalan coach will have to contend with.

After a meeting with Arsenal in the Premier League this weekend, Manchester City face a number of high-profile top-flight battles alongside their exploits in the last-four of the FA Cup, and last-eight of the UEFA Champions League.

City face Chelsea at Wembley in the former, while a double-header and a first-leg visit to the Spanish capital sees the reigning European champions battle with Real Madrid for a place in the Champions League semi-finals.

However, Pep Guardiola will almost certainly have faith in the fight of his team to continue on all fronts, with evidence to back up such a belief over the past few weeks following a double-fracture sustained by the first-team squad.

That is according to the information of MailSport’s Jack Gaughan, writing in the latest edition of the Man City Notebook, who reveals that both Ruben Dias and Phil Foden have been noticeably wearing bandages over their hands in recent weeks.

It has now been revealed that the pair have both suffered fractures in their hands and are continuing to ‘play through the pain’ as part of Manchester City’s ongoing pursuit of a back-to-back Treble success.

On the subject of Ruben Dias, it is revealed that the Portugal international sustained his problem in January during the enthralling FA Cup fourth round win away to Tottenham Hotspur, courtesy of a late winning goal from Nathan Ake.

As for Phil Foden, Gaughan reports that the English playmaker sustained his own fracture ‘shortly after’ that of Dias, although both players have remained ever-present in Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City plans.

Pep Guardiola will not be able to afford any further fitness complications in the coming weeks, as Manchester City enter their most decisive period of the ongoing season to date, especially after a challenging international break on the medical front.

City have returned to training on Thursday with both Kyle Walker and John Stones absent due to respective muscular issues sustained on England duty, while five members of the squad returned following their own fitness concerns.

A quintet made up of Ederson, Manuel Akanji, Kevin De Bruyne, Matheus Nunes, and Jack Grealish were all present at the City Football Academy ahead of the clash with Arsenal this weekend, despite concerns over their respective fitness issues earlier in the week.

Pep Guardiola will face the media on Friday afternoon when he is expected to offer a more in-depth update on the status of his Manchester City squad, dependent on conversations with club medical staff.