An enraged Pep Guardiola spoke out against the decision to schedule Manchester City’s FA Cup semi-final clash with Chelsea less than three full days after they played Real Madrid in the Champions League quarter-finals.<\/p>\n
Guardiola went into a tirade against the Football Association\u00a0for putting his side’s FA Cup\u00a0semi-final clash with Chelsea\u00a0on Saturday – less than three full days after City played Real Madrid in the Champions League\u00a0quarter-finals. Coventry and Manchester United\u00a0will instead face off at Wembley in Sunday’s semi-final, despite them each not playing since last Saturday.<\/p>\n
Despite Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta\u00a0having already weighed in on the issue to back Guardiola\u2019s comments, this has rubbed Arsenal fan Morgan the wrong way, with the outspoken TV presenter reacting in a post on Twitter: “Oh cry me a bloody river, Pep\u2026 You’ve got two world-class players in every position, paid by your Middle Eastern gazillions, yet you’re whining about too many games.”<\/p>\n
Morgan even added a violin emoji and crying face to his post which garnered nearly 7,000 likes in 12 hours following City\u2019s 1-0 win against Chelsea\u00a0thanks to Bernardo Silva\u2019s late strike.<\/p>\n
Guardiola hailed his players as “legends” for the achievement, then proceeded to embark on a post-match rant during an interview with Gary Lineker on the BBC.<\/p>\n
“It’s unacceptable. It’s really unacceptable,” the celebrated Spaniard fumed.<\/p>\n
“Coventry, United and Chelsea don’t play in the week, [but] they let us play today. Next week, on Friday it would be better. Instead of Saturday, put it on Friday to let us have a recovery.”<\/p>\n
When asked by Lineker if he felt that his team had been treated unfairly, Guardiola continued to rant, further igniting debate on social media.<\/p>\n
“It’s impossible, for the health\u00a0of the players,” the City manager added. “It’s not normal. Honestly, it’s not normal. We didn’t have the courage to tell you, to FIFA\u00a0we shut up, but it’s not possible. It’s unacceptable – 120 minutes.<\/p>\n
“All of you [Lineker, Alan Shearer, Frank Lampard and Micah Richards] are football players. The emotion against Madrid, the quarter-final, we lose and everything. So honestly, I know this country, it is special for many things but it is for the health of the players. I don’t understand how we survived today.”<\/p>\n
“Gary, you think us demanding is going to change something?” he replied. “The only power I have is to say here. It’s not going to change anything. I know it for many years. But why we play today and not tomorrow, with one day off, when Coventry and United and Chelsea don’t play in the mid-week? Why?<\/p>\n
“Why don’t you have one more day for the health of the players? For me, as a manager, tell me how you prepare for this game against Chelsea in their best moment of the season? How? It’s impossible. There is no chance.”<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"