Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has hit out at the Premier League, accusing it of jeopardizing his team’s chances of securing Champions League qualification.
City are set to face Crystal Palace in the FA Cup final at Wembley on Saturday. Just 72 hours later, they return to Premier League action at the Etihad Stadium against Bournemouth—another crucial fixture in their top-four battle.
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Guardiola revealed that the club had requested a 24-hour delay to the Bournemouth match to allow for additional recovery time following the final. However, the Premier League rejected the proposal.
The City boss pointed to the league’s recent accommodation for other clubs, noting that Aston Villa’s clash with Tottenham Hotspur was brought forward to Friday night, giving Spurs equal recovery time to Manchester United, their Europa League final opponents.
“I would prefer to play on Wednesday—definitely,” Guardiola told reporters. “We’ve been fighting this situation every season for the past nine years. Now, we’ll play Tuesday night against a strong, physical Bournemouth side who are chasing a Europa League spot.”
He added: “Tottenham play on Friday to have the same rest as Manchester United. That’s how it should be done. A one-day change doesn’t seem like much, but it makes a difference. Still, the Premier League made their decision.”
