The first team squad have been back at the City Football Academy for a week, where they have been preparing for the restart of our domestic season, which is provisionally set to resume on Wednesday 17 June when we’ll face Arsenal.
Having trained alone at home for more than two months, it has been a welcome return for Mahrez, who has enjoyed being back amongst his team-mates again.
“It was a bit long without football, but we adapted and now we are back, so it is good,” he said.
“With the pandemic going on [training at home and doing online sessions with the group] is something we had to respect and now we have come back to training it is very good.
“Step by step we are getting fitter, so it is good. I am excited.
“It was good to see my teammates and the coaches again. It was good to train with everyone and we have had very good weather as well!”
City now have two and half weeks to prepare for the game against Arsenal, which will be our first fixture since the disappointing 2-0 defeat to Manchester United on 8 March.
While Mahrez feels Pep Guardiola‘s squad had room to improve before football was suspended, he says the players will have to be patient in their bid to get back to top form after what will be 14 weeks without a game.
“I think we were good [before the break],” he added. “I wouldn’t say we were at our peak, but it was good.
“We are going to train again and come back because it has stopped for everyone, not just us.
“It is going to take time to come back and be the way we were before, but it is the same for every team.”
One thing the Algerian won’t be lacking is motivation.
Describing himself as a ‘competitor’ the 29-year-old is aiming to win something every year with City and, having already added a Carabao Cup medal to his collection this season, he now has his sights set on the biggest prize in Club football.
It remains to be seen when the Champions League will resume, but with City holding a 2-1 lead over Real Madrid after the first leg of our last 16 encounter, Mahrez is in no doubt that we have the tools to succeed in Europe.
“I think it is a good time to win the Champions League,” he said.
“We have the team, we have the manager, we have everything, so it is a good time. I don’t know if we are the best, but we are good enough to win it.
“The Champions League is difficult, everyone wants to win it, so it is going to be a big battle.”
