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Manchester City are seeing the best of Phil Foden once again after he overcome a difficult season on and off the pitch.
Phil Foden is back in his happy place at Manchester City. Smiling in training sessions again, finding joy in his football and showing his true personality in the changing room, it had been a side of the 25-year-old saw less of last season.
Foden admitted after the FA Cup final that he had endured a difficult season mentally and physically. He often cut a forlorn figure for the Blues as he struggled to find a spark on and off the pitch.
But his return to top form has been one of the feel-good stories of the season, and this weekend, he will be back in another happy place. Foden has scored all six of City's goals at the Gtech Community Stadium - in just three visits - and after being overlooked for Thomas Tuchel's latest England squad, he will want to go into the international break with a marker laid down.
As encouraging as it is for City to see Foden back in form, Guardiola is even more enthused about the way he has overcome his struggles and praised him for having the bravery to speak out.
"How strong he is in admitting it," said Guardiola. "A figure like Phil can be open-minded and speak to all of society. Today, young teenagers and even older people struggle with that.
"To accept the reality, wow. That’s why when I see him now, and forget about the level he is performing, which is a top level, how he’s been, the joy in the training session, his laugh and his voice in the locker room, being back, [puffs out cheeks], it’s enough. It’s just what we want.
"The rest, we’ll help him to play as well as possible. But be healthy. It’s a sport, win, lose, draw. What’s important is him as a human being, be healthy with the family, with himself, and do what you want to do. That is what we wanted and I’m happy step by step he’s getting better."
Foden opened up about his struggles in May, when he said: "I’ve had a lot of things going on off the pitch mentally. Sometimes there’s things in life bigger than football. This season I’ve struggled a little bit. Hopefully come next year I can get my head mentally right."
The academy graduate said at the time that he had received support from City, and Guardiola has praised the way the club rallied around Foden during a difficult time.
"It’s everything. We know for the last season, always we are there for Phil. The club for that is beyond exceptional," he said.
"We have incredible human people who help and help and help. When one person suffers a little bit during this type of period in his life, this too shall pass. Life always has good moments and bad moments.
"We always let them feel we are there, unconditionally whatever happens, I don’t care [about] your performance when you feel that way, the human being comes first in front of everything in life.
"We try to take care of the people in that way. Everybody knows the level he played last season and the level this season is another situation. Phil feels good."
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