Manchester City Supports Rúben Dias Following Burglary Incident

omidbasir- Manchester City’s assistant coach, Pep Lijnders, has confirmed that the club is providing support to defender Rúben Dias following a burglary at the residence he shares with his partner, TV presenter Maya Jama. Neither Dias nor Jama were present during the incident, as Dias was watching Manchester City’s Champions League match against Galatasaray from afar due to injury, while Jama was working abroad.

Lijnders remarked, “I didn’t speak with him personally, but Rúben will return to training on Monday. These are the situations we wish to avoid. We will support him, and we’ll see how things progress from there.”

Lijnders took the media stage in place of Pep Guardiola, who was absent from the press conference for personal reasons. The day prior, Guardiola had participated in a charity event in Barcelona aimed at supporting Palestinian children. Although City has not elaborated on the specifics of Guardiola’s absence, he is expected to return to the UK on Friday and resume training on Saturday as scheduled.

Lijnders stated, “The manager is well, as always, filled with ambition and passion, but it is a personal matter. He is expected back in Manchester today.”

This is not the first time Guardiola has missed a press conference due to personal issues; he previously missed one last month, with Kolo Toure stepping in during his absence. Lijnders, who formerly served as an assistant to Jürgen Klopp at Liverpool, has also represented Guardiola in media engagements in the past, particularly during a touchline ban following City’s FA Cup victory over Exeter.

In addition to the news about Dias, winger Jérémy Doku has encountered a setback with a calf injury sustained during City’s 2-0 win over Galatasaray, which enabled the team to qualify for the last 16 of the Champions League. Lijnders noted, “It’s a similar injury to the last one, which took 18 days to recover from. I anticipate this one might be slightly shorter, but we’ll see. Jeremy is a strong player.”

Looking ahead, Lijnders is optimistic about maintaining pressure on Arsenal in the title race, as City closed the gap to four points over the weekend. He commented, “Having been in several title races, it’s crucial to focus solely on the next game. Winning our matches allows us to carve our own path, challenge ourselves to improve, and exert pressure on others. Our aim is to make them feel our presence, which is achievable only through winning football matches.”