admin City have a number of first-team players sidelined and the relentless fixture schedule shows no signs of slowing down.
It remains to be seen whether Pep Guardiola will keep his promise to put the youngster on the field in the Carabao Cup or if this was just a gaffe during the press conference.
In any case, injuries are on the rise at Manchester City. “We are facing difficulties,” Guardiola said this week. Bernardo Silva was the last to appear with a problem. He joins John Stones, Jack Grealish, Mateo Kovacic and Kevin De Bruyne on the list of absentees.
Five players will be available for most, if not all, Premier League teams. City’s spending power means there will be few underdogs, but if squad depth is a factor for Guardiola in the summer transfer business, then the Etihad chief could consider a longer calendar always a cause and a blame.
City played 61 games last season, with the majority of their squad also participating in the winter World Cup along with other international commitments. This season won’t get any easier with the addition of the UEFA Super Cup and Club World Cup to the calendar.
The latter will become a 32-team tournament in 2025, which City have already qualified for and carries with it the potential to host a further seven matches.Next season, the Champions League will have changes when adding 2 more matches in the group stage. Including domestic cups, it is not difficult for Man City to surpass the 70-match mark in the near future.
This is a request that the player must pay for. High salaries and the Premier League lifestyle do not protect against injury and fatigue.
Any sports scientist will warn of these dangers, but the appetite for matches, matches and more matches has outstripped the health of players. Clubs must bear some responsibility as pre-season usually involves traveling around the world to play countless matches in different countries and time zones, but there is a tipping point and we There is an impression that Man City is at the edge of the abyss.
And perhaps more worrying for Man City and other big clubs in Europe is that there is no solution in sight. In any case, apathy has taken its toll on the part of those who control the schedule.
“Nothing will change,” Guardiola said last year.”That’s not going to change because the broadcasters are thinking about what they need to do to get more viewers. It’s not about what the players need or what the teams need.
“Sure, I understand, but what can I say? We’re not going to solve the problem, I’ve said it many times. Sir Alex Ferguson is the most important icon in English football history and he complained as a teenager.”
Previous complaints have fallen on deaf ears and will likely happen again.
