Guardiola will rotate squad as players ‘not ready’ for intense run of games
PEP GUARDIOLA fears the Premier League’s frenetic restart schedule will invite an avalanche of injury problems as the Manchester City manager warned that his players were “not ready” to play so many matches in such a short period.
City host Arsenal at an empty Etihad Stadium tonight as the champions prepare to resume their season after a three-month hiatus.
But Guardiola is worried about an increased risk of injury among his squad and claims not even a ruling allowing teams to make five substitutes will be enough to prevent players from breaking down after less preparation time than Bundesliga and La Liga rivals.
City are scheduled to play their remaining 10 league matches plus an FA Cup quarter-final against Newcastle United and potentially a semi-final over a five-and-a-half-week period – with four games in the next 12 days alone.
“I think we are ready to play one game but three days after [playing] another one and then four days after that [playing] another one, we are not ready. Not just Man City, all the teams,” Guardiola said.
“But that’s why we have to rotate and use absolutely all the players. The players whose natural physical conditions are better can sustain more time.
“You can play a game after three weeks of holidays but we were two months of holidays lying on the sofa, doing nothing much, and that’s why I think the players are not fully fit.
“But we have to start and we have to finish the season because the damage economically to all the clubs must be as little as possible.”
Guardiola believes the volume of games will lead to more young players getting opportunities, but he fears even regular rotation and the use of more substitutions will not prevent widespread injuries, and particular care needs to be taken with players such as Leroy Sane and Aymeric Laporte, who are not long back from serious long-term injuries.
“Yes,” he said, when asked if he planned to use five substitutes. “What we have is protection for the players that get injured. Even with that there will be a lot of injuries, that is my feeling. Whether it is an advantage [for the big teams] or not, I don’t know. They had six weeks in Germany, five in Spain, almost double what we had [to prepare].”
Guardiola believes the situation could be compounded by the fact clubs will not be able to use some of the recovery methods ordinarily open to them, such as ice baths.
He admitted he was expecting “not much” from his team against Arsenal, despite being impressed by the way they have returned to training, and just hopes they can get up to speed quickly.
“You ask me how is the team? I don’t know,” he said. “I don’t know exactly their physical condition and for how many minutes they will be in the high level.”
Having appointed Juanma Lillo as his assistant, Guardiola said he was looking forward to a glass of wine with Mikel Arteta, his former No 2 and now the Arsenal manager, after the game – if permitted. “We sent a message [to each other] an hour and a half ago,” Guardiola said. “It was about the wine we are going to drink if social distance allows it.”
Guardiola admitted it was a disappointment that David Silva would be unable to play his final few months at City in front of fans but that, after a decade of service, the club would find a way to honour the Spaniard. The manager said he would discuss his own future at the end of the season.
“We have two months ahead of us and then we have time to talk about this. We can do better, that’s why we work every day, but extend? We will see.”
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