Having featured for Brazil in a World Cup qualifier against Uruguay in the early hours of last Friday, the pair didn’t feature in Saturday’s 2-0 win over Burnley.
Following an exemption agreed before the international break, players who visited red list countries such as Brazil were due to spend 10 days in bespoke quarantine if they arrived directly back in England, providing they are fully vaccinated.
As part of the agreement for players coming back to the UK, it meant they would be allowed out only to train and play.
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However, instead of flying directly back to Manchester, the City boss revealed that Jesus and Ederson had instead travelled straight to Belgium to begin advance preparations for Tuesday’s latest Champions’ League group match.
And with the pair then travelling back to Manchester from a green list country after Tuesday’s game, it would subsequently free them from the constraints of serving that 10-day quarantine period
“They are in Belgium right now. I think they told me they can play, but we will see in which condition we have time to prepare a training session,” Guardiola revealed.
“Because we have to train here. They will not be here, so I have to think about it.
“We sent them there in Belgium because the day after Brugge they can come back and make a normal life.
“If they had come back directly here to Manchester, they would have been isolated for 10 days in one hotel.
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“We didn’t want that and that’s why they travelled to Belgium. Maybe they are able to play, that is the good news.
“After that for Brighton, the Carabao Cup (fourth round trip to West Ham) and all the other games we have ahead of us and they will be ready.”
The Brugge game has assumed even greater importance with City looking to bounce back in Europe after our 2-0 defeat away at Paris Saint-Germain last time out.
After two games it couldn’t be tighter in Group A with leaders PSG and second-placed Brugge both on four points and City a point behind in third.
However, the boss said that the increased pressure and scrutiny ahead of Tuesday’s match was something that he embraced.
“I love the pressure. I know what we have to do. We have to win. We know that,” Guardiola added.
“It is what it is. We live all the time on the edge. Now we rest. We don’t have much time.
“Recover well tomorrow, prepare for the next game in Brugge. That’s all.”
