England have been dealt a blow ahead of their upcoming World Cup qualifiers after Manchester City defender John Stones was forced to withdraw from the squad due to injury. The 31-year-old, who was back in the national setup for the first time under new head coach Thomas Tuchel, will now miss both fixtures against Andorra and Serbia. His absence continues a difficult run of fitness concerns.
Stones withdraws from England squad with muscular injuryTuchel confirms defender will miss Andorra & Serbia gamesMan City face growing defensive concerns amid fitness issuesFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
Stones arrived at St George’s Park carrying minor muscular issues and was monitored closely by England’s medical staff. Despite initial optimism, he failed to show the necessary progress and Tuchel made the decision not to risk him further. The Manchester City defender has not featured for England since October and this setback delays his return to international football. Tuchel has now revealed that the defender has withdrawn from the squad.
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Confirming the news, England head coach Thomas Tuchel explained: "Unfortunately, John Stones just left. He came with minor issues, muscular issues, to camp and didn’t progress as we thought and hoped he would.
"So, he left camp this morning (Friday) because we will not take the risk. Everyone else is available."
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Stones’ withdrawal comes at a difficult time for Manchester City, who are already managing several fitness issues across the squad. His recurring injuries have disrupted Pep Guardiola’s defensive plans, with Ruben Dias often left carrying the burden at the back. For England, Tuchel has confirmed that Harry Maguire will lead the squad against Andorra and Serbia.
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The 31-year-old will return to Manchester City for further assessment and treatment at the City Football Academy. Guardiola will be cautious about rushing him back given his importance in the defensive-midfield hybrid role. However, injuries to Abdukodir Khusanov and Ruben Dias may force the Catalan tactician to make tough choices.