Pep Guardiola’s Comments on Manchester City’s Busy Schedule
Pep Guardiola, the manager of Manchester City, has made some pointed remarks about the Premier League’s scheduling, particularly regarding the demanding fixtures his team is facing. While he acknowledged that the congestion is a necessary part of striving for success, his comments suggest a level of frustration with the challenges posed by the calendar.
Manchester City’s quest to overtake Arsenal in the title race hinges on their final three games. This comes alongside the added pressure of an FA Cup final against Chelsea, all squeezed into a tight 12-day period. The schedule includes a match against Crystal Palace on Wednesday, followed by a trip to Wembley to face Chelsea, and then the conclusion of their league campaign against Bournemouth and Aston Villa.
The rearranged fixtures against Crystal Palace and Bournemouth have been a point of contention for City, and Guardiola’s sarcastic remarks seem to reflect his feelings about the situation. He remarked, “We don’t think about the ‘generosity’ of the Premier League. As always they have been really nice for this schedule! But it is what it is. We accept. I always said, if you don’t play the final of the FA Cup, you will not have this schedule. So we are in the final, you have this schedule.”
He also expressed a desire for a different kind of schedule, one that would allow them to be in the Champions League semi-final during the title race. “And I would love to have the schedule (of being) in the Champions League semi-final in the middle of the title race. When we won the treble or quadruple we were there in that dynamic. So it’s really nice.”
Currently, City trails Arsenal by five points with three games remaining, while Arsenal has only two games left. Despite the challenges, the title remains the primary goal for Guardiola and his team. However, the possibility of ending the season with a cup double still looms large.
Guardiola emphasized that he and his team take all competitions seriously, regardless of the circumstances. “The competitions, knockout stages, it’s like life or death – it’s nice. It’s like now at the end of the (league) season.”
He also highlighted the long-term approach taken by the club since his arrival 10 years ago. “I’ve tried with my staff since I arrived 10 years ago, to make this club, (from) when you play the first game in the pre-season, in Asia or America or wherever, think we have to win. We have to try to win, not choose competitions, games, anything. We have to, all of us, inoculate in our bodies that we have to do our best every game for respect of our people, respect for the job.”
Guardiola concluded by stating that the players and staff are well compensated for their efforts. “All of us are incredibly well paid – we have to do it.”
