ATLANTA — John Stones has admitted to going through “dark days” during his injury nightmare last season but now fit again he says he is ready to fight for his place at Manchester City.
Stones missed 33 games with injury last season and was restricted to just six Premier League starts.
He was sidelined for the final three months of the campaign with a hamstring injury picked up against Real Madrid in February.
Stones has returned to full fitness ahead of the Club World Cup. He sat out City’s first game against Moroccan side Wydad AC, but is in line to get minutes against Emirati club Al Ain in Atlanta on Sunday.
“I’m back fit, feel great and I’m excited to get going,” Stones said.
“It’s difficult when you’re injured.
“There’s been points where you think, you’ve been giving all this effort, you dedicate all your life, especially how I approach or go about my life, and football, I give everything, on and off the pitch to be here or be ready to play games and those are the dark days.”
Stones was a key part of the City team which won the Champions League in 2023, often stepping into midfield from centre-back.
He was one of a number of City defenders to suffer injuries last season along with Manuel Akanji and Nathan Aké.
It was made worse for Stones last season that he had to watch from the sidelines as City endured their worst season for a decade.
“It is frustrating for me,” he said.
“I put a lot of pressure on myself. I find it very challenging mentally. I have had some very low points in the past season and I just have to come back and once you come over those things, you can’t really see the end of the tunnel when they keep happening.
“It’s frustrating for the team, for myself, for the manager, that you’re not available to help them, and you’ve got to find another way to be around the team.”
Stones said his injuries last season were doubly frustrating because they could not be explained by City’s medical staff.
He added: “I don’t know what the reason is, and we’ve sat with the medical staff, sports science, to try and figure out why. Some things can’t be explained.
“Which is even more testing mentally when there’s not really an answer. I’ve been unlucky with some of the injuries that I’ve had, they were very rare last season, after speaking to specialists.
“Sometimes I think, why has it happened to me?”
Injuries played a significant part in City’s poor campaign last season.
It led Guardiola to hint that he would only include players he could trust to be available regularly in his squad going forward.
It put Stones, who has endured injury problems throughout his time at the Etihad Stadium, into the spotlight. But the 31-year-old, who has a year left on his contract, insists he is staying at City this summer despite speculation about a return to former club Everton.
“I’m here, I want to stay here, I love it,” he said.
“I’m here to help the team, and I don’t know if what’s been said or speculated, but I hope that kind of shuts it down.”
Speaking in Atlanta ahead of the game against Al Ain, Guardiola suggested players will have to leave during the transfer window because he does not want to work with a bloated squad.
He is, though, looking forward to having Stones available again after a difficult season.
“What we want from John is to be fit,” said the City boss.
“His lovely job is playing football. It’s the only thing we want, the rest — his talent — his ability, will do it. We’re going to help him and I’m pretty sure he is going to do the rest.”