'Otherwise they will die': Pep Guardiola has an unsolvable problem as he laments the schedule
Pep Guardiola faces a full 12-month campaign next season with Manchester City and has been left baffled.
City The team returned to training with the first team on July 15 this summer and could finish the season on July 13 next year, if they reach the final of the Club World Cup.
And Guardiola has been furious about the upcoming schedule, insisting his players are in danger and he is allowing those who left for their national teams this summer indefinite time off to relax.
Speaking about the upcoming Premier League season, the Catalan manager said: “We will arrive late.
“But not against (Manchester) United (in the Community Shield), against Chelsea and Ipswich.
“We will be late, we have to try not to lose too many points, we have to try to compete well. We don't have any players because they need to rest, if the big bosses and all the institutions like FIFA, UEFA and the Premier League don't think about the players, then the coaches have to think about them, otherwise they will die.
“It's too much. That's why it takes three weeks or a month, but the competition is there and you have to adapt.”
Asked what he would do to solve the problem, Guardiola replied: “No, there is no solution, there will be no solution because there is no intention to find a solution.”
“Clubs have to travel to promote their brand around the world, so that other continents and places see our players, and we have to adapt.
“It didn't just happen this season, it happened for five, six, seven years, every time it's the same.
“We would have liked to have had adequate preparation but it is impossible because the national teams deserve to play and each institution like FIFA and UEFA and local competitions want to defend their product and play matches.
“We have a good squad when everyone comes back, we have three, four, five interesting players in case we need them.
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“We'll do what we've done in previous seasons when we've had success with the same schedule as this year, so it is what it is and we have to adapt.”
After City's second friendly of the summer (a 3-2 defeat to AC Milan on Saturday), Guardiola lamented the absence of his missing players.
He said: “I would have preferred to bring (on tour) Kevin De Bruyne, Juan Piedras, Kyle Walker“All the guys people are waiting, but the schedule is the schedule and it wouldn't be possible for them to come here.”
City have two more pre-season friendlies before facing United in the Community Shield on August 10.
There are two high-profile clashes against Barcelona and Chelsea, before facing the Blues on the opening day of the Premier League season on August 18.
