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Manchester City's acclaimed manager, Pep Guardiola, will be notably absent from the sidelines for their upcoming encounters against Sheffield United and Fulham. Guardiola, under the spotlight for steering Manchester City to treble victories, recently underwent surgery to address his "severe back pain". He sought medical intervention in Barcelona, where the operation was tagged as both "emergency" and "routine".
While the footballing world's attention remains on City, the club shed light on the health challenges their manager has been facing. It has emerged that Guardiola has grappled with the distressing back pain for a considerable period, necessitating a trip to Barcelona for immediate surgical care this past Tuesday.
As Guardiola undergoes recovery, he will remain in Barcelona, missing the team's imminent fixtures. Sheffield United is set to clash with City this Sunday, and Fulham awaits them on September 2. In the absence of their celebrated manager, assistant manager Juanma Lillo will helm the coaching reins, guiding the team both during training sessions and from the touchline during the matches.
A formal statement from Manchester City elaborated, “Pep Guardiola has today undergone a routine operation on a back problem. The Manchester City boss has been suffering with severe back pain for some time lately, and flew out to Barcelona for emergency surgery performed by Dr Mireia Illueca. The surgery was a success, and Pep will now recover and rehabilitate in Barcelona."
The statement continued, emphasizing the temporary leadership transition during Guardiola's convalescence: "In his absence, assistant manager Juanma Lillo will oversee coaching of the first team on the training field and will assume duties on the touchline until Pep’s return."
Optimism abounds in the Manchester City camp, as they expect Guardiola's return after the international break. Fans and the club alike anticipate his presence in the dugout for their match against West Ham scheduled for September 16. The concluding sentiment in the City statement echoes this sentiment: "Everyone at Manchester City wishes Pep a speedy recovery, and look forward to seeing him back in Manchester soon.”
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