Foden opens up on unseen battle and playing with ligament damage for city

PHIL FODEN HAS EXPLAINED WHY HIS FORM HAS DROPPED THIS SEASON FOR MANCHESTER CITY, REVEALING RECENT INJURY PROBLEMS AND LONGER-TERM PERSONAL ISSUES THAT HAVE STOPPED HIM PERFORMING TO HIS

BEST. 17:00, 21 May 2025 Phil Foden bravely opened up on unseen 'mental' struggles this season that have contributed to his drop in form, also revealing he has been playing with

ligament damage to his ankle since the draw with Manchester United in April. In an emotional chat with reporters, Foden spoke honestly about his personal frustrations this season, saying

'some things are bigger than football.' Having led City to a fourth Premier League title in succession last season and taking home multiple Player of the Year awards, before

helping England to the Euro 2024 final, Foden's form has dropped off dramatically and he has struggled for consistency this season. A flurry of goals either side of the new year raised

hopes that the 'real' Foden was back, however, he has not scored for club or country in 19 games since January 25. In fact, all seven of his Premier League goals came in a

seven-game spell between December and January. He was a late substitute in the FA Cup final on Saturday, and did not feature in Kevin De Bruyne's farewell against Bournemouth on Tuesday

- a must-win game for City in their Champions League qualification hunt. "It's been a frustrating season for me. I've had a lot of things going on off the pitch

mentally," the 24-year-old said. "It's one of them, sometimes there's things in life that are bigger than football. This season I've struggled a little bit.

Hopefully come next year I can get my head mentally right, get back where I left the season before because I know what I'm capable of doing and the quality I have. "I know if

everything was okay I'd definitely be better on the field. Sometimes things happen and you have to deal with it and move on. Unfortunately I've had a difficult season. Now

it's just about improving and getting back to my best. I know my standards and what I can reach. I'm looking forward to getting back." It's rare for an elite footballer

to speak in such open terms about something so personal, and Foden added that others in the City dressing room are 'mentally drained' from a difficult season. At the start of the

campaign, Foden spoke of being 'burned out' from last season's title win and following Euros role, with another gruelling season taking its toll. He has been playing at the

top level since he was 17 with barely any rest between seasons due to his international commitments with England. For Foden, persistent injuries have also hampered his ability to get back to

his best this season. The latest, stemming from an innocuous challenge with Casemiro in April's derby at Manchester United, resulted in ligament damage and Foden admitted to concern

that he will not get the necessary rest needed to get fully fit in time for the new season. "I somehow managed to play on with my ligaments done [against United]," he said.

"That's the kind of person I am. I try and play on with anything. I remember how much pain I felt when the adrenaline died down. I missed the next game or two, came back to

training quite early. "A lot of people don't know what football players have to go through and play with. I've had a lot of ankle pain and playing with it in the last couple

of months. Some people don't see what we go through, it's frustrating for me because I know it's been hard to get it right. You need time for it to heal but me being me I just

love to come back on the football pitch as soon as possible. "Maybe I've come back too early for my liking. But it's what I'm like. All I can say is I'm feeling a

lot better now and can really push on with it. I just need a few weeks off it without playing football [for it to fully heal] and obviously I can't get it at the moment. It's a bit

frustrating to play with niggles like this. It's getting better and stronger each day. It's improving and that's the main thing." It felt like Foden was relieved to be

getting this all off his chest, filling in the gaps when fans and critics have been only too happy to make their own truths up in the absence of the real, personal story. There is a clear

determination to get back playing football free from injury and everything else he is dealing with in the background. Maybe the Club World Cup can be that springboard, with Foden revealing

that he may ask to sit out June's international matches in order to rest his ankle and naming the Club World Cup as a tournament to 'get going' ahead of the new season.

"It's a difficult situation for me with the internationals right around the corner," he explained. "It's something we have to speak with the club and national team

to see maybe if it's better to rest and get my ankle fully 100 per cent back how I want it. I just don't know at the moment, it's a conversation to be had and we'll see

what happens." Foden shook hands with England boss Thomas Tuchel in the Royal Box at Wembley as he collected a silver medal in the FA Cup final this weekend. Tuchel will announce his

squad for the June internationals on Friday. _---_ _Here at the Manchester Evening News, we’re dedicated to bringing you the best Manchester City coverage and analysis._ _Make sure you don’t

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