Pep Guardiola in club-v-country row with England

Telegraph

23-05-2025

Pep Guardiola has become embroiled in another club-v-country row with England after being asked to make James McAtee and Rico Lewis available during the Club World Cup next month.
McAtee, 22, and Lewis, 20, were wanted by Lee Carsley for the Under-21 Euros in Slovakia as England look to defend their title, but Guardiola said he would prefer them to travel to America, questioning who would pay the players' wages.
Guardiola was previously furious after John Stones returned injured from England duty just before important games for Manchester City last season. He also took aim at England Under-20s this season for sending back Max Alleyne with fitness problems after they 'pushed Max's limits'.
He also hit out at the communication between England and clubs after Kyle Walker was injured on international duty.
The Under-21 tournament runs simultaneously to the Club World Cup and has priority under Fifa rules.
'I know the manager of the Under-21s asked the club for both players to go to the Under-21s but I don't know the resolution right now,' Guardiola said. 'Normally when players go to the World Cup or European Cup we are already on holidays, so that is why they go and now the situation is here and they have to talk.
'I joke and I am so funny… I don't know who is going to pay the salary in these months, the national teams or the club if they decide they are going to the Under-21s. I don't know who is going to pay it. I would say, the players go with the club. They will talk with the sporting director and they have to decide what they want to do.'
Guardiola was speaking before the England Under-21 squad was announced on Friday afternoon, and it does not include McAtee or Lewis.
'Foden is family'
Guardiola confirmed Phil Foden will travel to the Club World Cup, which starts on June 18 against Morocco's Wydad SC and will see further group games against Al-Ain and Juventus. Foden has not been selected for England's seniors and says he needs to rest his ankle which has given him problems, while also revealing his off-the-field mental problems this season.
'Phil is family for us,' said Guardiola. 'He's a baby boy from the academy and becoming a star with us. We want to help him, that's the most important thing.
'He needs rest and it's going to happen now after Sunday. Step by step he is going to come back, that is what we want. I just want to help him. I don't care about his performance on the pitch, I want him to feel good and the rest will come in an easy way.'
'Not the Rodri we know'
Rodri will also travel to America as he steps up his comeback from a serious knee injury suffered in September. But Guardiola has warned against him playing in every City match next season like he did before he was sidelined.
'We are really pleased he's back, really pleased for the reaction from our people to him,' said Guardiola. 'I am pretty sure he is so pleased for that but he's a long way to be what Rodri was.
'I guess it will be next season when he will start to be the Rodri, not in the way we have seen before the injury playing 70 games, playing every three days, I think it will take even longer for that because the experience in this surgery, we have always to be careful, otherwise you have muscular problems and this kind of stuff.
'But it is the first kind of step, for his mind, for his knee, but still is not the Rodri we know.'