Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola spoke about Oscar Bobb after the forward was left out of the Norway squad for their upcoming games
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Oscar Bobb of Manchester City looks on during the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 League Phase MD8 training session at Manchester City Football Academy
Oscar Bobb is back training as he steps up his return to fitness with Manchester City
Pep Guardiola said that Oscar Bobb could return after the international break after a season wrecked by injury.
Bobb was the standout player in pre-season and looked set for a big role after helping Manchester City to a Community Shield victory over United, only to suffer a leg fracture on the eve of the first Premier League game.
That, and a few setbacks since, have prevented Bobb from playing any more this season and he was left out of the Norway squad for the March fixtures to raise further concerns about his fitness. However, Guardiola said on Friday that the player is training regularly with the Blues.
The biggest issue with his return is that City are fighting for Champions League qualification - on Saturday they take on Brighton, who only trail them by a point - and chasing FA Cup success. With the stakes high, there is limited room to be able to give Bobb the minutes he needs to get up to speed.
As a result, the 22-year-old played a friendly behind closed doors with the Under-21s on Thursday so that staff could see how he performed and if he had any ill-effects. The reviews were positive, and Guardiola believes Bobb could be able to make his first-team return in April.
"I hope so. He's training now regularly, he feels really, really better," he said "He played a friendly game yesterday with the second team to see how, because he has to be on the pitch in the training sessions.
"Now it's difficult for me because we have all the people up front available and bring him some minutes in the situation we are playing. That's why it's going to happen when it's difficult to dictate how he feels, just in the training sessions.
"And it's good to see him for himself, to forget in his mind that 'I'm fine, I'm perfect, I can do what I'm able to do.' And after, of course, you have the same chances as the other ones to be with the team."