Pep Guardiola: Man City players not ready for hectic Premier League schedule
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Guardiola during the presser admitted that his players “are not ready” for the hectic scheduling of Premier League as the English top-flight looks to wrap up the season quickly. With only three weeks to prepare for the resumption of the campaign, players may not achieve optimum fitness levels which could eventually lead to injuries.
After around three months of break, Pep Guardiola returned to his pre-match press conference routine albeit via video-conference. Manchester City are set to resume the Premier League 2019-20 campaign against Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal on June 17 at the Etihad Stadium. Guardiola during the presser admitted that his players “are not ready” for the hectic scheduling of Premier League as the English top-flight looks to wrap up the season quickly.
With only three weeks to prepare for the resumption of the campaign, players may not achieve optimum fitness levels which could eventually lead to injuries. The Man City boss admitted that they need to rotate players given the number of matches cramped up in a short period of time. However, he accepted that it is important to finish the season so as to limit the economic damage to the clubs.
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He said: “We are ready to play one game. Three days after and four days after that, we are not ready, not just Man City, all the teams. That is why we have to rotate.
We have to limit the economic damage to the clubs: Guardiola
“You can play a game after three weeks on holiday but we spent two weeks on the sofa doing nothing much. That is why the players are not fully fit.
“But that is why we have to finish the season. We have to limit the economic damage to the clubs. The way we are right now, I think other clubs and teams [as well], we don't know. If you ask me how the team is, I don't know,” Guardiola said.
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“Tomorrow we will see the level. From there, we are going to see and suggest what we can do better. What we are worried about over the three weeks [since returning to group training] is the lack of preparation, not like in Germany or Spain where they worked five or six weeks.
“All Premier League teams have three. We know it is not enough but it is what it is,” he added.
Man City must play 10 league matches before the end of the season on July 26 before locking horns with Newcastle United on June 28 in the quarter-finals.