Manchester City manager, Pep Guardiola, has voiced his criticism over the Premier League's scheduling of their penultimate game of the season. The game is set to take place just 72 hours after the FA Cup final, leaving little time for players to rest and recover.
The upcoming match against Bournemouth on Tuesday comes hot on the heels of Sunday’s FA Cup final meeting with Crystal Palace. This league fixture holds significant importance as it could potentially influence Manchester City's chances in a tight race for Champions League qualification. Guardiola highlighted that Tottenham Hotspur had successfully appealed to have a Premier League game against Aston Villa moved from Sunday to Friday. This was done in order to accommodate their preparations for the Europa League final scheduled for next Wednesday.
When asked if he would prefer their Premier League fixture against Bournemouth be moved to Wednesday or Thursday instead, Guardiola expressed his dissatisfaction with the current schedule but did not specify an alternative date.
Pep Guardiola, Manchester City manager, said:
“Definitely. Tottenham played against Aston Villa on Friday ahead of the Europa League final. Good decision, I’m not being sarcastic. The Premier League made a good decision, very good.”
Battle for top five finish
Sixth-placed Manchester City currently trails behind Chelsea and Aston Villa who are placed fourth and fifth respectively. With only one point separating them from these two teams, every match counts as they all vie for a top-five finish which guarantees qualification into Europe's premier competition.
Bournemouth, currently sitting at tenth place in the league table still has an opportunity to finish eighth. This position could earn them a spot in the Conference League’s playoff round provided Manchester City clinches victory in the FA Cup.
Pep Guardiola added:
“We have been fighting against these situations for nine years, every single season and nothing goes,"
“We are going to play Tuesday night against one of the most intense and physical and direct and powerful teams in the Premier League, Bournemouth, who are playing for the Europa League or Conference qualification. It will be tough.
“We play all the time quarter-finals and semi-finals, quarter-finals and semi-finals on a Wednesday away. We play [FA Cup] semi-finals on a Saturday but this time on a Sunday and we didn't need that extra day.”
Scheduling games for maximum fan engagement
Guardiola also suggested that games were being scheduled on Saturdays because more fans would be available to watch Sunday fixtures. While this may boost viewership numbers, it raises questions about player welfare amidst such tight schedules.
While fan engagement is crucially important in football culture and business model alike; player welfare should not be compromised. The Premier League should consider the physical toll on players and make scheduling decisions that allow adequate rest and recovery time between games. This will not only ensure player safety but also maintain the quality of football that fans around the world love to watch.
