Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola is hoping that fans can remain safe during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Spanish coach is back in England after being in Spain for much of the lockdown.

Guardiola praised healthcare staff and other essential workers, while hoping everyone could do their best to stay safe as life returns to some level of normalcy around the world.

"All the fans around the world are waiting for football to come back. We want to come back but now the priority is other things," he said, per Goal.com.

"The message is still stay safe, be careful and when everything is possible we will come back. First I think without [the fans], but hopefully we come back to a routine.

"But now the most important thing is to follow the instructions. If they say use a mask, stay at home, social distance - we have to do it. Because there are many, many people in the NHS, who put their own lives at risk to save ours.

"It's incredible what they have done, and we have to follow them. Now, we cannot do anything wrong."