Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Independent UK
The Independent UK
Sport
Richard Jolly

Pep Guardiola to miss Man City matches after emergency surgery

PA Wire

Pep Guardiola has joined Manchester City’s injury list and will miss their next two games after undergoing minor back surgery in Barcelona.

Assistant manager Juanma Lillo will take charge of City’s next two games, away at Sheffield United on Sunday and at home to Fulham the following Saturday.

Guardiola is expected back after the international break, when City host West Ham before beginning the defence of their Champions League title.

City said Guardiola had suffered from “severe back pain for some time” and that emergency surgery, performed by Dr Mireia Illueca, was a success. The 52-year-old will continue his recovery in Barcelona.

Lillo returned to City for a second spell in the summer after a year in charge of Qatari club Al Sadd. The 57-year-old, who coached Guardiola at Dorados de Sinaloa in Mexico, has a long managerial career in his own right, including stints at Real Zaragoza and Real Sociedad.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.