Pep Guardiola has hailed Egyptian forward Omar Marmoush as “exceptional”, while insisting Manchester City cannot hide behind his absence to explain recent defeats.
Marmoush has been away with Egypt at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco, where he scored twice as the Pharaohs finished fourth.
Guardiola confirmed that Marmoush is unlikely to feature in City’s upcoming Champions League clash against Norwegian side Bodø/Glimt, despite rejoining the squad after his international duty. “We need Erling and all the players,” he said, explaining that Erling Haaland is “tired” after the intense schedule and the League Cup semi-final win over Newcastle United.
The coach stressed that City must adapt to the packed calendar, saying the team will travel to Norway and then assess the players’ fitness before deciding the lineup. He highlighted the importance of coping with matches every three days and praised his squad’s mentality in difficult moments, contrasting their response against Newcastle with the loss to Manchester United at Old Trafford.
Marmoush, who joined City in January 2025, played a key role in helping the club secure third place in the Premier League and qualify for this season’s Champions League. He has missed the last nine City matches due to AFCON, including the derby defeat to United, but Guardiola rejected any suggestion that his absence is to blame.
“Marmoush is an exceptional player, his runs behind defenders are unbelievable,” the Spaniard said, before adding that it would be unfair to attribute poor results to one missing player and that those available must “get the job done” themselves.
