Pep Guardiola undergoes ’emergency surgical procedure’ as Man City boss hospitalised

The man who will take Guardiola’s spot within the City dugout, Lillo, rejoined Guardiola’s backroom workers this summer season. Enzo Maresca was Guardiola’s No 2 final season earlier than he left to take over at Leicester City.

Lillo had left City in 2022 after working with Guardiola for 2 years to take up a job in Qatar’s high flight. But Guardiola was delighted to have Lillo again working by his facet when his return was confirmed this summer season.

Guardiola mentioned: “Juanma sees things no one else in the game sees. He understands football on an incredible level, so he is the perfect person for me to work alongside. I have always been inspired by him – his knowledge of football, his intelligence and his humanity mark him out as a very special person in my life – and we have a shared ideology.”