Softfootball reports that John Stones has been released from international duty after failing to recover from a muscle problem. The Manchester City defender is said to have returned to his club immediately. This means Stones won’t be participating in England’s upcoming fixtures against Andorra and Serbia.
Head coach Thomas Tuchel confirmed the news on Friday while speaking to the England media team, explaining that the decision was taken to avoid any further risk.
Tuchel said that:
Unfortunately, John Stones just left. He came with minor muscle issues to camp and didn’t progress as we thought and hoped he would. So he left camp this morning because we will not take the risk against Andorra and also, unfortunately, not against Serbia.
The England manager added that the remainder of the squad is in good condition ahead of the qualifier, saying:
Everyone else is available. We had 21 players yesterday in training and 21 players today in training and hopefully we make sure everyone is available for tomorrow.
Stones’ withdrawal is a blow for England, given his importance in central defence, who are seeking to finish well in their World Cup qualifying series.
Meanwhile, Manchester City have also wished their defender a quick recovery after the news of his withdrawal was announced by the England team. Stones, who played for Manchester City during their 2-1 defeat to Brighton at the Amex Stadium last Sunday, is likely to miss games for the Pep Guardiola side.
Stones’ injury comes as a setback for Manchester City, especially following the recent departure of Manuel Akanji. With the team still searching for consistency after a run of mixed performances, Pep Guardiola will be hoping his remaining defenders can step up quickly to steady the side.
