Manchester City are set to be without Kevin De Bruyne and Kyle Walker for a packed upcoming run of fixtures across three competitions.
De Bruyne has been out since coming off injured at half-time in City’s Champions League draw with Inter Milan in September, while Walker missed the dramatic win over Wolves on the weekend.
Speaking ahead of City’s match against Sparta Prague at the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday night, Guardiola admitted both players were still “some time away”.
“It’s not a big issue but he doesn’t feel completely fine,” the manager said. “Kevin is not 22 years old any more, he has to be fit for his football. He has to be completely fit, he does not feel comfortable at all so he cannot express his incredible potential at his best. So that’s why he’s training a little bit better, but he said to me, ‘still I don’t feel good’. So, don’t feel good? Take your time.”
Walker returned from international duty with a knee injury, Guardiola revealed, and is also out of the Champions League game. Asked when they would return to action, he said: “I cannot tell you, I don’t know.”
City are looking to build on their position start to the new Champions League format, which has seen Guardiola’s side pick up four points from two games without conceding a goal. Sparta Prague, who are second in the Czech top flight, also have four points from their opening two matches after beating Salzburg and drawing with Stuttgart.
The match is part of a busy run of games for City, with league games against Southampton, Bournemouth and Brighton, a Carabao Cup tie at Tottenham and a Champions League trip to Sporting all on the horizon before the international break next month.
Guardiola admitted City are weakened by injuries to key players, but said it is the same for their rivals.
“We have four important absences with Kevin, Kyle, Rodri and Oscar [Bobb]. Two of them can hopefully come back [soon]. Oscar may be January and February, I think will be ready. Rodri the season.
“We need them but all the clubs in Europe who play three competitions have quite similar problems.”