“He’s about to come back”: Pep Guardiola explains De Bruyne’s presence on the bench against Sheffield

Before the meeting, Pep Guardiola had made no secret. “No, I don’t think he’s going to play,” explained the Catalan. “On the other hand, he trains very well. On Friday we discussed his return to the bench. We thought it was a good idea to get back into a routine and be around the locker room.”

Since his playmaker’s return to training, the coach has been shouting to anyone who will listen: caution is required with the Red Devil. But he did not deny that seeing him again filled him with joy. “He is one of our captains. So it’s very important to have him with us. It’s very nice to see him come back. The fact that he is with us is also proof that he is about to return.”

The return of the 31-year-old Belgian is taking shape. “We have been waiting for this for a long time. Last week he was so good in training. At the Club World Cup, he was there for the photo and for the trophy. Now he is in the group. When he went to warm up, he could see that the fans support him and how they can’t wait to see him back on the field. Maybe it will be the case against Newcastle and he will be ready.”

The Citizens’ next match will be against Huddersfield in the Cup on January 7. While the meeting against the Magpies will fall on January 13. Still a little patience.