With Liverpool having successfully piled up the pressure on defending champions and title rivals Manchester City on Tuesday night with a knock-out victory over bitter rivals Manchester United 24 hours before City’s clash with Brighton, Pep Guardiola saw it fit to provide a slightly alarming update on the physical toll exerted on his team after their European exertions, revealing physios were required on 71 occasions against Atletico Madrid.
This is in stark contrast to their main rivals Liverpool, who have instead been close to full strength after coming through their quarter-final with Benfica with Roberto Firmino being the only injury doubt for the Merseyside club ahead of their derby clash with Everton over the weekend.
City were taken out by Jurgen Klopp’s side in their FA Cup semi-final on Saturday, with the Reds scoring three times in the first half to seal their path to the final.
“Our physios, they made 71 treatments in the space between Atletico Madrid and the semi-final of the FA Cup – 71 treatments,” Guardiola said in a press conference ahead of City’s midweek meeting with Everton and & Hove Albion.
“It’s true, the doctor came to me.
“They came to tell me because it was unusual, it was abnormal. In the hotel after Atletico Madrid, in the morning, before the training session, after the training session, the day of the [semi-final] game. And it wasn’t just one or two, it was a lot of players.”
City were fortunate to edge past Atletico by the narrowest of margins, winning the first leg 1-0 and holding on for a goalless draw in the return leg in Spain. Scandalously, the return fixture was marred by ugly flare-ups and brawls on and off the pitch, with several players from each side booked and Atletico’s Felipe sent off.
As for the Reds, Firmino’s absence on Tuesday night was related to an incident at Wembley over the weekend, though Klopp was hopeful the Brazilian would be available to face Everton.
“Bobby was not involved because in the very last situation of the City game he got something on his foot. It’s not really bad,” the German explained.
“Actually, we were a bit worried but the scan was fine. But it’s still very painful and that’s why there was no chance [on Tuesday].”
Liverpool’s 4-0 win over United took them two points clear of City before the reigning champions’ meeting with Brighton on Wednesday night.
If Guardiola’s team are able to wrangle a win over the Seagulls, they will once again be a point clear at the summit, with City and Liverpool each having six games left after the midweek game.