City to return for pre-season amid burnout worries

MANCHESTER City's players return to preseason training this week with the club facing an unprecedented fitness unknown.

- By ALEX JAMES

City participated in the Club World Cup last month and while they were eliminated in the last 16, it still impacted their summer preparations.

They played four matches in America and went into the tournament not knowing whether their stay in the States would last a couple of weeks or a month.

The players have had three weeks off following their defeat by Al Hilal, and now have three weeks to prepare for their Premier League opener at Wolves next month, a much shorter lead-in than normal.

And they do so ahead of what could be another lengthy campaign given some players can expect to feature in more than 60 club matches over the coming months and then head into a World Cup next year.