Guardiola Committed to Supporting Foden’s Return to Top Form

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has expressed his commitment to helping Phil Foden regain peak form following a difficult period both on and off the pitch.

Foden, 24, recently opened up about personal challenges and an ankle injury sustained in April’s match against Manchester United, admitting that these issues have affected his performances. He emphasized the need to get his mindset “mentally right” moving forward.

Responding to Foden’s comments, Guardiola acknowledged the midfielder’s struggles and emphasized the club’s support:
“It’s true, Phil said that, and of course he has not been at his best,” Guardiola said. “Not just for himself, but for all of us — his family, the club. He’s one of our own, a boy from the academy who has become a star. We want to help him — that’s the most important thing. He needs rest, and that will happen after Sunday.”

City will wrap up their season on Sunday with an away fixture against Fulham, needing just one point to secure Champions League qualification.

Meanwhile, England manager Thomas Tuchel has left Foden out of the national squad for the upcoming matches against Andorra and Senegal in early June. Tuchel cited the need for the player to fully recover from his injury and “re-find the joy in his game.”

Foden ended the 2023–24 Premier League season with a personal best of 19 goals, but both he and his manager are now focused on rest and recovery ahead of the next campaign.