Manchester City coach Pep Guardiola revealed that his team sustained 71 injuries after two headers against Atletico Madrid and Liverpool.
City were facing Atleti in the first leg of the Champions League before facing Liverpool in the Premier League, followed by a half-match in the FA Cup. Ahead of the Premier League match with Brighton, Guardiola said his team had pushed the boundaries thanks to an intense schedule.
“I love working with a great team, in my experience, I have lived many years in my life as I was in the big clubs, we get here and fight a few times. If you want to fight you have to be fit,” he said.
“10 days [we played]And Atletico, Liverpool, Atleti and Liverpool for many players after an international break. 25 or 27 players, I don’t like that. I prefer 16, 17, 18 all fit, otherwise it’s hard to handle. I live, in previous seasons we fought and won and we were there, at the end of the season the desire was there, and we were close.
“If it’s not a specific match, it’s next and next, you may not have five or four days, you have three, with travel. Our team did 71 treatments between Atleti and the semi-finals. 71, that’s right when they come in and say Kyle. [Walker] Ready but not playing for several minutes, you can handle it and that’s why it was more difficult, but you tell me how you compete.”
On a large number of treatments
“I don’t know but I didn’t ask, they told me because it was more than usual, it was the hotel from the night after the match, it was a lot.”
“That’s why they told me. I didn’t ask them what was normal. Before Liverpool and Atletico it was very difficult, the players give everything, they got on a plane to Madrid, for training. The schedule is what it is.”
“We didn’t have time to train, to prepare for the second semi-final with Liverpool. Only videos and photos but they have to feel it on the pitch. We had six massage tables to watch the training session. We didn’t come home. After Madrid.
“People don’t believe in the decisions you have to make.”
