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Manchester City defender Josko Gvardiol had a lot of pain last season but is feeling better about the team even if he still has some discomfort
Pep Guardiola was embarrassed by his actions at Newcastle following Manchester City's defeat but Josko Gvardiol described it as 'normal' for the manager and captains to air their frustrations. "We all fight for this club," he said. "If we miss that then what is the point of competing?"
There is obviously a line and Guardiola believes he crossed it, but it is also understandable for Gvardiol to be happy to have so many leaders around him. It really wasn't long ago that he was just about the only defender in the squad that wasn't permanently injured as City spent more time bunkering down trying to get through games rather than hurt their opponents.
Gvardiol played more minutes than anyone else at the Etihad last season - it wasn't even close - and at significant personal cost. He has played through persistent pain for the best part of 2025 because he felt he had to stand up as everyone around him fell down, and it has impacted on his performances this season.
If his body has taken more blows than it should have done, his mind went through plenty of torture as well. "For me, it was the worst season so far I have done and I ever had in my career. It was painful," he said. "I remember last season I couldn't sleep in the nights because I was trying to find solutions and I was trying help the team and everyone in the club to get out of this position.
"Sometimes it is difficult, sometimes things are not going the way we wanted but I am glad it is behind us and that we recover well. In football it is good that in three days there is a new game which forces you to forget what happened two days ago. It is behind us, a new season and hopefully, I think we all see already, the situation at the club and the situation in the dressing room is much different and it is in a better way than last season."
That certainly appears to be the feeling across the squad this season, a sense of improvement and a happier camp with more sleep and fewer nightmares. The looming worry that one defeat would turn into two or three that stalked City last winter has been replaced with optimism that any defeats, such as at Newcastle on Saturday, can be forgotten about by a stronger group that are ready to compete for the biggest titles again.
There is a long road ahead of City to get to where they want to be in the Premier League and Champions League. However, the steps they have already taken are allowing Gvardiol to at least get more rest with fewer problems to occupy him at nights.
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