Everything you need to know about City’s season preparations, including who they are playing and the players involved
Pep Guardiola and his Manchester City coaching staff returned for pre-season training on July 19, but much of his squad are missing as they enjoy an extended break following this summer’s tournaments.
City, along with Chelsea, sent the most players to Euro 2020 with 15 in total, including finalists England’s Kyle Walker, John Stones, Raheem Sterling and Phil Foden, as well as Aymeric Laporte, Rodri and Ferran Torres, who reached the semi-finals playing for Spain.
Ederson and Gabriel Jesus also reached the final of the Copa America with Brazil, where they lost to Argentina.
Players are generally given a minimum of three weeks off over the summer, with Guardiola keen for his squad to have time to relax and recuperate, especially with the international tournaments coming after a gruelling season.
Goal brings you everything you need to know about Man City’s plans for pre-season and who will be involved.
Man City pre-season fixtures & results
| Date | Fixture | Kick-off time (UK) | TV / Stream |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 27 | Man City vs Preston | 7pm | CITY+ |
| Jul 31 | Troyes vs Man City (cancelled) | N/A | N/A |
City have so far confirmed pre-season friendlies against Championship side Preston North End on July 27 and French club Troyes four days later.
The game against Preston will be played at City’s Academy Stadium at 7pm BST, with fans able to attend.
Guardiola’s side were due tol face fellow City Football Group-owned club Troyes in France, but the game was cancelled due to new UK quarantine rules on arrivals from France.
They will also play the Community Shield against Leicester City at Wembley on August 7, a week before the Premier League kicks off.
A charity match in Barcelona has also been mooted for August, but is expected to take place after the season has started.
City also had a low-key pre-season last year following a short turnaround between the end-of-season Champions League tournament in Portugal and the start of the new campaign.
Which players are involved in Man City’s pre-season?
The majority of the first-team players that were not part of international squads will be back on the first day of training, with others returning at different times during the summer.
Those back on July 19 include club captain Fernandinho, after signing a new one-year contract, Riyad Mahrez, Benjamin Mendy, and goalkeeper Zack Steffen.
A number of academy youngsters are set to join up for training with Guardiola, with last season’s Premier League 2-winners such as Cole Palmer, Liam Delap and Romeo Lavia likely to spend much of the 2021-22 campaign with the first team.
Will Man City’s new signings be present?
While Sergio Aguero and Eric Garcia have left the club on free transfers to Barcelona, City have yet to bring in any new players since the transfer window opened.
Any deals could be delayed as potential targets take their summer breaks, with England duo Harry Kane and Jack Grealish high on the club’s priority list.
City had a number of South American players out on loan last season, and their involvement could depend on work permit issues.
When does Man City’s season start?
City kick off their season in the Community Shield against FA Cup winners Leicester, with the Premier League season starting eight days’ later away to Tottenham on Sunday, August 15.
Much of the focus will be on striker Kane, who is a potential target for City, although Spurs are desperate to keep him.
The first game at a capacity Etihad Stadium in nearly 18 months will come the following Saturday against newly-promoted Norwich City.
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