SM
Barcelona vs. Brann: 44 mins
Upcoming predictions and previews

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola bemoans "completely crazy" fixture schedule

:Headline: Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola bemoans 'completely crazy' fixture schedule: ID:419507: from db_amp
Pep Guardiola takes his City side to West Ham on Saturday.

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola says teams are facing a “completely crazy” schedule, particularly those that are playing in Europe.

Guardiola, who has had a number of injury issues in his squad to contend with of late, takes his side to West Ham on Saturday.

That is one of three away games for City in eight days, amid a 23-day period featuring seven fixtures between international breaks.

Guardiola has had a number of injuries to contend with of late (Catherine Ivill/PA)

Speaking on Friday at his press conference ahead of the West Ham contest, Guardiola said: “The schedule is completely crazy for everyone, especially the teams that play in Europe.

“Right now I don’t know my selection. We play tomorrow at 12.30, so not much recovery. Today the guys trained really well and tonight we will decide.”

He added: “This league always was so difficult and everyone can lose everywhere. The teams who have seven, eight days to prepare game by game, they have a huge advantage.

“On the other side, the teams who compete to win titles and be on top, it is the way we have to live. If we cannot adjust or accept or handle this situation, you cannot be manager (of) or play in these teams.”

“The schedule is completely crazy for everyone, especially the teams that play in Europe.”
- Pep Guardiola

Reports emerged earlier this week about talks regarding a European Premier League, and Guardiola also said on Friday: “When you have all the squad, you have more chances to win games, of course. We’re doing as much as we can, (but) it’s difficult to sometimes control it.

“New competitions in Europe, they want to create new things, and always the same, just two or three weeks a year to rest.

“For the players, this is the crazy, crazy situation for all of them.”

Fernandinho hobbled off late on during City’s 3-1 Champions League win over Porto on Wednesday with a leg injury, and Guardiola had said after the game that he thought he would be out for four to six weeks.

Fernandinho is now expected to be sidelined for less than a month (Phil Noble/PA)

But the manager had a positive update on Friday, saying the 35-year-old Brazilian is now expected to be sidelined for less than a month.

“The injury is tough but yesterday the results were a little bit more optimistic, so I think it will be shorter than one month,” Guardiola said.

Kevin De Bruyne and Aymeric Laporte missed the Porto contest – and last weekend’s 1-0 win over Arsenal – through injury, while Nathan Ake was also not part of the matchday squad on Wednesday due to a groin issue.

De Bruyne and Laporte have returned to training, and when asked whether either of them or Ake would be involved on Saturday, Guardiola said: “Yes, some of them will be involved, some of them no. You will know tomorrow.”

Gabriel Jesus and Benjamin Mendy are definite absentees. Regarding forward Jesus, who has a quadriceps injury, Guardiola said: “He’s getting better but it was a tough injury. Still, he cannot train with us.

“I know when he will start, he will be ready – he is a guy who gets the form quick. But right now I don’t know (how long). Maybe one week, two weeks more.”

amp_article__419507 : Database Data restored...  : 
last updated article - 2020-10-23 18:14:05:
html db last update - 2021-02-24 21:50:42 :

ex - 7200 : read : read cache amp html

Click here for more stories about Pep Guardiola

Click here for more stories about Manchester City

Share this article now:
Recommended Next on SM
Premier League Table
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Arsenal28204470244664
2Liverpool28197265263964
3Manchester CityMan City28196363283563
4Aston Villa29175760421856
5Tottenham HotspurSpurs28165759421753
6Manchester UnitedMan Utd28152113939047
7West Ham UnitedWest Ham2912894650-444
8Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton2811985044642
9Wolverhampton WanderersWolves28125114244-241
10Newcastle UnitedNewcastle281241259481140
11Chelsea27116104745239
12Fulham29115134344-138
13Bournemouth2898114152-1135
14Crystal Palace2878133348-1529
15Brentford2975174154-1326
16Everton2887132939-1025
17Luton TownLuton2957174260-1822
18Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest2967163551-1621
19Burnley2945202963-3417
20Sheffield UnitedSheff Utd2835202474-5014
Scroll for more - Tap for full version


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
AL
Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!

Loading ...

Failed to load data.



. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .