Pep Guardiola Undergoes Minor Back Surgery, Set to Miss Manchester City’s Next Two Premier League Matches
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola will miss the club’s next two Premier League matches as he recovers from ‘minor back surgery’. According to a statement on the club’s website, Guardiola ‘has been suffering with severe back pain for some time lately, and flew out to Barcelona for emergency surgery performed by Dr Mireia Illueca.’
The surgery was successful and the manager will now complete his rehabilitation in the Spanish city and is expected to be back on the touchline after the September international beak. That means the 52-year-old will miss City’s trip to Sheffield United on Sunday as as well as the clash against Fulham at the Etihad on 2nd September. If all goes well, his first game back will be against West Ham at the London Stadium on 16th September.
Until then, it has been announced that assistant manager Juanma Lillo will oversee first-team training will be the Citizens’ main man on the touchline. Lillo returned for a second spell as Man City assistant manager this year (Photo: Getty).
‘Everyone at Manchester City wishes Pep a speedy recovery, and look forward to seeing him back in Manchester soon,’ the club added.
City have made a great start to the new season, winning their opening two league games against Burnley and Newcastle and are level on points with Brighton and Arsenal, behind the former in the table on goal difference. Guardiola also lead them to their first UEFA Super Cup triumph as they defeated Sevilla on penalties in Athens, though they lost the Community Shield shootout to the Gunners in the season’s curtain raiser.
In better news for City, they are set to sign highly-rated winger Jeremy Doku from Rennes in a deal worth £55.5million.
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