Manchester City’s Manuel Pellegrini has already confirmed that a few of his main figures including: Sergio Aguero, Fernandinho, Pablo Zabaleta and Martin Demichelis will be given some additional time off from matches as the Chilean manager wants to give those players more rest as they were competing in the Copa America.
None of those players have participated in the pre-season tour to Australia as Pellegrini is being very careful and cautious in relation to the physical condition of his squad.
The opening match of the 2015-16 Premier League season of Manchester City is scheduled to take place on August 10 as Manuel Pellegrini and his squad face off against West Bromwich Albion and its unlikely that any of the previously mentioned players will be performing in this opening match of the season.
Manuel Pellegrini said: “I think in football it’s so important to work hard, but also resting has the same importance. You have so many games throughout the year that if you don’t give them 30 days after they’ve finished their internationals, it’s very difficult for them to work hard. It’s more difficult for the South American players because Pablo Zabaleta, Martin Demichelis, Sergio Aguero and Fernandinho finished later, the first days of July, so they won’t have 30 days’’
Manchester City wants to have a good start of the season but it might be difficult to accomplish if Pellegrini decides to leave out some of his most influential figures and the squad of the Chilean manager is not in the best shape after having suffered a 4-2 loss against Stuttgart.
Sterling is versatile enough to play as a winger, attacking midfielder or a forward and during the absence of Sergio Aguero, the €49 million summer signing Raheem Sterling might have to be placed in the position of the Argentine striker during this opening match of the season as well as in the occasions when Aguero or another offensive player is unable to perform.