Benjamin Mendy has declared himself “really fit” and ready to boost Manchester City’s hunt for Quad glory.
The Blues left back returned to make his first start since the Manchester derby in November, and help the team reach the FA Cup final.
The fact that he played for 79 minutes and put in a high-energy performance is a bonus for Pep Guardiola, who is already without stand-in Aleks Zinchenko and Fabian Delph.
Mendy has missed most of the season through injury for the second year running, which has led to City starting to look at other options in that position for the summer transfer window.
The fact that he has also provoked Guardiola’s wrath by turning up late for a physio session and being filmed in a nightclub at 3.30am last week, has cast doubt on his future at the club.
He was left out of the squad in midweek as City beat Cardiff, but injury to Zinchenko in that game meant Guardiola’s options were limited for the Wembley semi-final against Brighton.
Mendy stepped back in and reminded everyone what he brings with a stream of instant crosses from the left flank.
City have stayed in London after the semi-final, as they face Tottenham in the first leg of the Champions League quarter-final on Tuesday night.
And he indicated that, after a couple of setbacks in returning from a knee injury, he is now ready to reinforce the squad at a crucial time.
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“I feel so good, and I am very happy - the team-mates and the staff have been really good,” he said.
“I feel really fit and I want to give everything I can to help my team.”
Mendy had trouble with the knee, which required surgery, began to swell after he returned to training.
But he feels the issue has now cleared up: “Now it’s good, we can forget the past and think about the future
“I have missed a lot of games but my team mates have been incredible so we need to trust and to believe it for going on to the end with a lot of trophies.”
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