Guardiola feared fixtures chaos in Super League
PEP Guardiola helped to kill the European Super League after describing it as being ‘not sport’.
But the City boss had other objections to the proposed European Super League, which was killed last night after the Blues and Chelsea led a mass pull-out of ‘founder members’.
Guardiola had made it plain that any competition that increases the number of matches in a season, when he has argued vehemently that the welfare of players has to be paramount, is not good.
The ESL plan, announced on Sunday night, would have meant the English clubs involved pulling out of the League Cup which would probably have meant the death of that 61-year-old competition.
But the ESL plan, for two qualifying leagues of 10, followed by a knockout competition among the top four in each, would have meant clubs would play 23 matches in the new tournament – 10 more than they currently need to play if they reach the Champions League final.
Guardiola slated Uefa’s refusal to listen to clubs in terms of easing the intensity of the current football calendar, but when it was pointed out that the ESL would actually mean MORE games, even without the League Cup, Guardiola did not waver from his point, highly critical of Uefa.
“We spoke at the beginning of the season about how many games there were,” he said. “We spoke about the Premier League and the clubs - not the players and instead of reducing the competition, we played more.
“You think it’s normal that all the clubs fight for 10 months, when they have spent a huge amount of money for these players and staff, to put the players out for three games (a week)?
“And then (you get) injuries and their seasons are over. What is the problem for UEFA? Zero.
“Why don’t you finish the season, play for the national teams, play the European Championship?
“Why not? They don’t care. They play for their own business.
“We want the best league in the world. I love being here. But do we want quality or quantity? The Carabao, I want to play this competition. The FA Cup, I want to play this competition.
“How many times did we decide we had to see UEFA, all the leagues - Spanish, German - and organise this calendar? How long have we discussed that for? Centuries.”
When it was pointed out that all attempts to improve the calendar, and lighten the burden on players, just seem to make it worse - and that the ESL would have added to that, Guardiola agreed that greed and the pursuit of self-interest has just got worse.
“Of course it’s getting worse, but who cares?” he said. “It’s business, it’s money. Just for this six teams? No, no. For everyone. FIFA as well.
“The World Cup - we started with 16 and it went up and up and we’re going to play with 50 countries. Ah, but it’s OK. UEFA? More games.” He also said the Premier League, which crammed fixtures into a shortened season but then voted not to allow more substitutes despite the protests of top managers like Guardiola, could not escape censure.
He said they ignored pleas about player welfare but have reacted with outrage to the ESL plan.
Said the Blues boss: “And the clubs. Do they listen to what the managers or the footballers said?
“When the season finished, we have two or three weeks off and then start again, start again.
“You demand - ‘What about the problems about injuries?’ Absolutely nothing. Pick another player.
“The show must go on. “Then maybe they think something that maybe they don’t like, then they react.”
But, having roasted Uefa and the Premier League he reiterated his belief that the ESL was fundamentally flawed, as 15 clubs would qualify entirely on the basis of being the wealthiest.
“Everyone has had to play by the same rules,” said Guardiola.
“It is not fair, honestly. You have to play the competitions that you deserve to play. If you play good, then you deserve to play in the competition.”