Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola undergoes elective back surgery. This was announced by the official website of the " It is noted that recently the 52-year-old specialist suffered from severe back pain, so he flew to Barcelona for emergency surgery.. Surgery was successful. Now the Spaniard will undergo rehabilitation in Barcelona. During Pep's absence, his assistant Juanma Lillo will take over as head coach.. Guardiola expected to return to work after September break for national team matches. Manchester City kicked off the new Premier League season with a 3-0 victory over Burnley and 1-0 Newcastle United.. Guardiola's team also chose the UEFA Super Cup by beating Sevilla on penalties. Before the international break, the Citizens have two Premier League matches scheduled - against Sheffield United (August 27) and Fulham (September 2).