Manchester Metropolis boss Pep Guardiola says he has by no means been “so offended” as when defender John Stones was injured in an England pleasant earlier than the membership’s Champions League quarter-final towards Actual Madrid final season.
Stones, 30, was compelled off with an abductor muscle downside after simply 10 minutes of England’s 2-2 draw towards Belgium in March.
The damage got here simply 4 days after the centre-half had performed the complete 90 minutes in a pleasant defeat by Brazil, and meant Stones was solely in a position to begin one of many two legs towards Madrid.
Metropolis captain Kyle Walker will miss Wednesday’s Champions League recreation towards Sparta Prague having returned from England’s latest camp with a knee damage – which led Guardiola to stipulate his frustration on the Stones scenario.
Guardiola stated: “I used to be by no means so offended than in that second. By no means earlier than was I so disillusioned.
“It was a pleasant recreation and we had been taking part in quarter-finals towards Actual Madrid and within the Premier League to attempt to win it.
“It was a pleasant recreation [with England], so for gamers to come back again injured… I did not prefer it in any respect.”
Stones began the primary leg and got here on as an alternative per week later for the second because the tied ended 4-4 on combination, with holders Metropolis eradicated in a penalty shootout.
England boss Gareth Southgate defended his determination to play Stones in two consecutive video games, saying it was “not about overload”, exterior because the defender had not performed in two weeks.
