Bundesliga return can be a boost for Guardiola’s Blues
FINALLY, after two months, top-flight football will return next weekend.
For now, the Premier League remains suspended indefinitely, but the news that the Bundesliga has confirmed a restart date will be welcome news to fans missing their football fix.
While City will have to wait for the green light to resume their own season, they can still use the return of football in Germany to their advantage - whether to monitor how players will cope after limited training time, or to resume scouting ahead of a transfer window that will look completely different to how it did in February.
There is also the progress of City’s two loanees in the Bundesliga to monitor, too.
Angelino impressed at RB Leipzig before the lockdown, and will look to continue that form for the remainder of the season. Leipzig have the option to buy the Spaniard at the end of the season, so if City are keen to earn some money in the summer they will hope he makes it difficult for the Bundesliga club to pass up on him.
Some reports say Leipzig might be reluctant to pay the 30m euro agreed price as the football world re-adjusts to post-lockdown financial realities. In that case, City might hope for Angelino to attract the attention of another buyer, or even develop his game enough to fit back in at the Etihad.
For the Blues’ second loanee, Zack Steffen, the return will come too soon after he was injured in training last week, and he will instead focus on restoring his fitness. City want Steffen to replace Claudio Bravo as Ederson’s back-up next season, so a full recovery is in their best interests.
City will also have an eye on any other injuries that may occur in the Bundesliga as they devise a training plan for their own potential return.
With clubs resuming socially-distanced training last week they will have all had between two and three weeks of preparation to resume the season. There is a concern a condensed finish to the season after two months off will result in more injuries to players, so if that happens in Germany then City can make the necessary preparations before any re-start in England.
Then there is scouting.
The Blues tend to identify targets
early and give themselves enough time to complete a transfer before the start of a season. But this summer the market will be different. The shake-up of the football calendar and financial difficulties facing clubs might affect how much business City can do.
If they have any targets in Germany, this will be a time to determine how much they are worth pursuing - and then looking at any back-up options in the Bundesliga that might have suddenly become more viable options.
Finally, City can also scout potential Champions League opposition if that competition resumes. Of course, they need to complete the job against Real Madrid after their brilliant win at the Bernabeu in the last-16 first leg.
If they come through the second leg, they could feasibly face Bayern Munich or RB Leipzig. Bayern, like City, are still to confirm their place in the quarterfinals, but hold a commanding 3-0 lead over Chelsea, with the second leg to come at home.
City have ambitions of winning the Champions League this season, so any extra opportunity to scout a possible opponent in a new behind-closeddoors environment could be crucial.