Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has issued a passionate rant over national teams calling up players within his squad that are already short of match fitness.

The Premier League champions returned to action over the weekend but succumbed to a fifth straight defeat across competitions, despite their injury and fitness situation being somewhat improved from a fortnight ago.

Whilst the likes of John Stones, Manuel Akanji, and Jack Grealish may have returned to the matchday squad, and Kevin De Bruyne featured in the closing exchanges of the contest, a number of stars remained absent.

Alongside Ruben Dias, and the longer-term absentees in Rodri and Oscar Bobb, Mateo Kovacic was sidelined for up to a month with a problem sustained on duty with Croatia, whilst Jeremy Doku was not present in the matchday squad.

Speaking during a press conference around the match, Pep Guardiola issued a lengthy rant over national teams’ handling of player call-ups for action, in light of Kyle Walker’s back-to-back 90 minutes for England despite a lack of fitness for City throughout the campaign.

“If he’s fit I like them to play in their national teams. For me, it’s not a problem! Don’t misunderstand me; I wanted Jack (Grealish) to go to the national team, I want Kyle (Walker) to go to the national team, I want Max Alleyne to go to the national team,” Guardiola said.

“Never, ever in my life I would say to one play to don’t go to prioritise the national team, but if you are not fit, if you are not good, you cannot play with the national team! Because here you cannot play, why can you play in the national team?!

“It’s the only subject that is quite obvious, right? That’s the analysis. But of course, I want. Kyle has a dream to make 100 games for the national team. I want to cancel this dream of him? Absolutely not! I understand.

“But at the same time, I don’t want you to play there when you are not in the right conditions, and maybe have a problem because Kyle played the previous time with the national team and came here and stayed 10 days without playing.”

Pep Guardiola continued by highlighting the previous problems that have been inflicted on Manchester City as a direct result of players returning from international duty with fitness and injury problems, referring to this season in particular.

“Without him (Kyle Walker), we have to use players with a lot of games in the CARABAO CUP against Tottenham, and after that game the four central defenders were out! We could not play central defenders in proper conditions against Bournemouth, in proper conditions there.”

Guardiola went on to explain, “People say we’re without Rodri, yeah we’re without Rodri of course we miss him – the best player in the world. Imagine our period in Barcelona, in that moment Messi was the best player, playing that season without Messi?

“Do you think we would win the Treble? I don’t I win the Treble? I don’t win the Treble. Win six in a row with Barcelona without Messi? I don’t win six! Rodri is out, BUT I didn’t have four central defenders. How important is Ruben (Dias), and John (Stones), when they’re fit? Tell me.

“And Nathan (Ake), and the other ones? We would not play in that positions. So with Kyle, I’m not blaming Kyle, you understand me, you understand the message that I’m saying? With Kyle, you can use him, he cannot play the minutes like Ruben was a little bit poorly in that position.”

Guardiola also pointed out the hole that has been left behind by Oscar Bobb’s absence – a player that many believe would have been deployed almost every contest this season had it not been for a hugely unfortunate leg fracture during pre-season training.

“Oscar (Bobb) four months, do you know the best player, do you know our high pressing with Oscar how it is? He can run with three (players), he has an incredible talent, the intention with two central defenders and full-backs at the same time.

“We can stay high, we recover, and without him we are less. He was the best player in pre-season, the injury and four months out. Rodri, and the other ones. So it’s more difficult. But we have to find a solution, we have to break that moment.”

The Manchester City manager’s rant surrounding international call-ups for players who are not fully-fit did not stop there, as he continued – as part of the same answer – by referring back to a moment in the last campaign that saw injuries inflicted at a crucial phase of the season.

“We played the quarter-finals of the Champions League against Real Madrid, go to a FRIENDLY game – I don’t understand UEFA or FIFA who decide to do this, I’m sorry,” said Guardiola. “Because we are fighting in competitions, and competitions, and bringing to the right moment of the season for the Premier Leagues, for the European competitions, for a FRIENDLY game, and after comes back injured! NO!

“Not because I work a lot, my staff work a lot, the players work a lot, these guys work a lot, and it cannot be! But what I said to Jack; you think I have a problem with Jack. I would love him to go to the national team! Of course he has to go!

“But 17 days he didn’t train and he has to go to the national team? No. He has to recover well, and after for the next time, go to the national team! This is my view, and I’m not going to change my opinion for that, of course.”

Manchester City are next in action in the UEFA Champions League as Feyenoord visit the Etihad Stadium on Tuesday night, before a visit to Anfield awaits the club in the Premier League against Arne Slot’s high-flying Liverpool.