One Manchester City player needs to rest this summer but he isn’t alone in that boat | OneFootball

Phil Foden bravely revealed that he has faced a mental battle this season. Foden spoke on the issues he has faced this season in quotes relayed by Joe Bray for the Manchester Evening News. Phil Foden has further revealed that he is hoping to miss England’s upcoming World Cup qualifier against Andorra and friendly against Senegal at the beginning of June. Foden is one Manchester City player who would benefit from a spell of rest at the end of this season. He isn’t alone in that boat.

But where the Manchester City players can get rest after a tough 24/25 campaign isn’t apparent in light of the busy schedule they’ll face in June and potentially July. The upcoming internationals and the expanded FIFA Club World Cup further exacerbate an issue that is well-documented in football. The players are playing too much, and it’s a problem that won’t be going away anytime soon.

Phil Foden is hoping to be left out of Thomas Tuchel’s upcoming England squad.

In quotes relayed by David McDonnell for the Mirror, Phil Foden explained that he is hoping to be left out of the England squad for their upcoming matches. He said he could benefit from rest to recover from an ankle injury he sustained against Manchester United in April. Speaking on his need for rest, Foden said: “It’s a difficult situation for me with the internationals right around the corner. It’s something we have to speak about with the club and national team. To see if it’s better to rest and get my ankle fully 100 per cent back how I want it.”

“I just don’t know at the moment, it’s a conversation to be had, and we’ll see what happens. I just need a few weeks off, without playing football, and obviously, I can’t get it at the moment. It’s a bit frustrating to play with niggles like this.”

“A lot of people don’t know what football players have to go through, and play with. I’ve had a lot of ankle pain and playing with it in the last couple of months. Some people don’t see what we go through.”

Other Manchester City players could benefit from a break before the Club World Cup.

How much football the players are asked to play isn’t a new issue. Kevin De Bruyne and Bernardo Silva spoke on the issue all the way back in September. Looking at the injury situation the Manchester City squad has faced this season, Pep Guardiola’s squad appeared to hit a breaking point. Nathan Ake, John Stones and Manuel Akanji have all recently returned from an extended spell on the sidelines. Their bodies appeared to have given out due to the demands of playing so often. Phil Foden has struggled all season, both mentally and physically. Rodri missed the majority of this season due to an ACL injury. There is barely a City player who hasn’t faced an injury issue this season. But despite this, Manchester City’s players will face a busy summer.

The Premier League season ends this Sunday. Following Manchester City’s Premier League fixture against Fulham at Craven Cottage, there is a round of internationals at the beginning of June. The majority of the Manchester City squad will be selected for their countries for those matches. Two weeks later, the expanded FIFA Club World Cup begins. If City made their way to the final of the tournament, they’d only have three weeks between that fixture and their opening Premier League fixture. So where does Pep Guardiola’s squad get the opportunity to rest? It’s nearly impossible based on the crowded football calendar.

Surely common sense will prevail and Phil Foden will get the opportunity to rest at the end of this season. He needs it. The England international has made that point abundantly clear. But a host of his Manchester City teammates could also benefit from time off. But where they get time off isn’t immediately clear. In fact, it’s almost impossible to see them getting that opportunity this summer. That may present fresh issues next season as the players are human beings and not machines. Perhaps that is something that FIFA and UEFA need to consider going forward.