Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola says the scheduling of his side’s FA Cup semi-final against Chelsea was “unacceptable”.
City won the match 1-0 thanks to a late goal from Bernardo Silva, although conceded several chances to a wasteful Chelsea team.
The game at Wembley Stadium came less than three days after City were knocked out of the Champions League on penalties by Real Madrid at the quarter-final stage. City played 120 minutes in Madrid, with the game finishing 1-1 after normal time and extra time before Guardiola’s side lost the shootout 4-3.
“It is unacceptable, really unacceptable,” Guardiola said to the BBC when asked how tough the Chelsea game was coming so close to their Champions League exit. “Coventry, United and Chelsea don’t play in the week and we play today. Next week on Friday would have been better, instead of putting it on Saturday to have less recovery.
“It’s impossible. For the health of the players. It is not normal, it’s not normal. Because we won I have the courage to tell you, it’s not possible.
“To go 120 minutes, the emotion from Madrid, the way we lost and everything.
“I know in this country (the FA Cup) is special for many things but it’s for the health of the players.
“I don’t understand how we survived today.”
City were without Erling Haaland against Chelsea, with Guardiola confirming before the match that the Norwegian was struggling with an injury. John Stones, meanwhile, had to be withdrawn at half-time.
“Do you think our demanding is going to change something? Guardiola added. “The only power I have is to say it here — it’s not going to change anything. I’ve known it for many years.
“But why are we playing today and not tomorrow when Coventry, United and Chelsea don’t play in the midweek. Why? Why can we not have one more day for the health of the players?
“For me as a manager, tell me how you prepare for this semi-final against Chelsea in the best moment of the season. How? It’s impossible. There is no chance.”
City return to Premier League action on Thursday when they face Brighton & Hove Albion at the Amex Stadium.
The second FA Cup final between Manchester United and Coventry City takes place on Sunday, with the final coming on Saturday, May 25.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta echoed Guardiola’s comments, after his side’s 1-0 victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers came less than 72 hours after their Champions League defeat to Bayern Munich in Germany.
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Arteta said his squad stayed in Munich on Wednesday and had “an hour or two hours of sleep” before travelling back to London and preparing for the Wolves clash.
“It’s not about us, Pep or myself it’s about the wellbeing of the players,” Arteta said. “When you compete in European competition every team has to compete in the same way. You cannot have a team that hasn’t played for seven days, or three days before and has more recovery time and then you have to play in the Premier League and the FA Cup. It is not right.
“If you look in any angle it’s not right. If you want to protect, let’s talk about the players and the protagonists. Let’s protect the players and do everything we can to give them the maximum time to help them recover and perform and do the show that they do every week.”
