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Manchester City assistant boss Juanma Lillo says he will be in continuous contact with absent manager Pep Guardiola this weekend.<\/p>\n
Lillo is set to take charge of the champions\u2019 next two fixtures \u2013 starting with Sunday\u2019s trip to Sheffield United \u2013 as Guardiola recovers from back surgery in Spain.<\/p>\n
Guardiola underwent the procedure earlier this week and is not due to return until after next month\u2019s international break.<\/p>\n
However, Lillo \u2013 who rejoined the City backroom staff this summer after a year away \u2013 insists all his direction will still come from his fellow Spaniard.<\/p>\n
The 57-year-old, who took the club\u2019s pre-match press conference, said: \u201cThe contact is continuous. Telephone, video call \u2013 everything.<\/p>\n
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\u201cHe is watching Sheffield United right now. What\u2019s important is his health \u2013 that\u2019s what matters \u2013 but that doesn\u2019t keep him from being who he is.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s fully focused on the team, fully focused on the match.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re not going to do a video conference because he doesn\u2019t want that. He wants us to have a face to face here but he is within the messages that are going to be relayed.\u201d<\/p>\n
Lillo says Guardiola is in good spirits after what the club described as an \u201cemergency\u201d but \u201croutine\u201d operation.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat he is telling us is that the surgery has been successful, but that his recovery has to take the necessary time,\u201d Lillo said. \u201cHe feels fine and I\u2019m happy to see him. He\u2019s recovering correctly.\u201d<\/p>\n
After winning the treble last season and starting the new campaign with back-to-back Premier League wins, the set-up Guardiola has left in Lillo\u2019s hands seems well-tuned.<\/p>\n
The experienced Lillo, whose coaching career has taken him to countries including Mexico, Colombia, Mexico, Japan and China, said: \u201cIf Pep is here he directs the sessions, he is focused and there are certain habits but plenty of the staff have been working here for a while and we\u2019re trying.<\/p>\n
\u201cNevertheless whenever Pep is here it\u2019s so much better.\u201d<\/p>\n
City have bolstered their squad this week with the signing of highly-rated Belgium winger Jeremy Doku but Lillo is wary of expecting too much of the 21-year-old too soon.<\/p>\n
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He said: \u201cEvery time a new player arrives we think that they\u2019re going to bring something, they\u2019re going to help the team.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut right now it\u2019s not about him and placing responsibility upon him.\u201d<\/p>\n