Pep Guardiola has revealed the key advantage Chelsea have built over Manchester City this season.
City are currently fifth in the Premier League, nine points behind leaders Liverpool, who drew 2-2 with Fulham on Saturday, heading into Sunday’s derby against Manchester United.
- Why Marc Cucurella was shown red card after Chelsea’s 2-1 win over Brentford
- Lionel Messi names the player who reminds him of his younger self
Guardiola is experiencing the worst period of his managerial career, with City managing just one win in their last 10 games across all competitions and suffering seven losses.
The team has been missing Rodri’s influence in midfield, with the Spanish Euro 2024 winner expected to miss most of the season due to an ACL injury. ..Continue Reading
In contrast, Chelsea, under Enzo Maresca, have won their last six games in all competitions and are preparing for their Premier League clash with Brentford on Sunday.
Maresca has effectively used his entire squad, rotating players for the Conference League, allowing stars like Nicolas Jackson, Moises Caicedo, and Cole Palmer to rest between Premier League matches.
Guardiola believes City should adopt Chelsea’s strategy next season but acknowledges the demanding football schedule will affect all players.
City are currently fifth in the Premier League, nine points behind leaders Liverpool, who drew 2-2 with Fulham on Saturday, heading into Sunday’s derby against Manchester United.
Guardiola is experiencing the worst period of his managerial career, with City managing just one win in their last 10 games across all competitions and suffering seven losses.
The team has been missing Rodri’s influence in midfield, with the Spanish Euro 2024 winner expected to miss most of the season due to an ACL injury.
In contrast, Chelsea, under Enzo Maresca, have won their last six games in all competitions and are preparing for their Premier League clash with Brentford on Sunday.
Maresca has effectively used his entire squad, rotating players for the Conference League, allowing stars like Nicolas Jackson, Moises Caicedo, and Cole Palmer to rest between Premier League matches.
Guardiola believes City should adopt Chelsea’s strategy next season but acknowledges the demanding football schedule will affect all players.
‘So why is Rodri injured? He played 75 games last season,’ Guardiola said.
‘When we finished and I was on holiday, he was at the Euros to win the Euros with Spain, and injured with Spain and came back.
‘And one game, two games. Do you know being fresh you get an ACL? No. I promise. Strong as Rodri, but he came back tired, not on the top, but I needed him against Inter, I needed him against Arsenal, not being at the top. And you are not strong enough and unfortunately it happened.
‘The reason why? The schedule. Give him one month and a half, two months holiday, give to Rodri, two months holiday after the Euros, like in the NBA, three months they have, four months they have, tell him, and he would be perfect, and after he can play 80 games if you want. But give him three months.
‘But next season, next season Manchester City, not Chelsea they already have the squad, have to be 30 players, 25 or 30. How do you sustain the club economically, financially? We won’t have revenues next season, impossible. Impossible.
‘Why do we have revenue this season? We sold a lot of players, from the academy especially, a lot, and with Julian [Alvarez] and the other ones, a lot. Combine the financials and the demands for the team, it’s tough! We would like to have 17, 18, 19 players, financially the conductor for the team it’s perfect.
‘Today, in modern football, it’s impossible. Impossible. Even with 22, 23-years-old, the young ones, and one team would say, ‘Ah no because we work differently’. We were perfect in the preparation, physical preparation, because our nutritionists are more special than the other clubs.
‘No, because our beds are top for rest. You say that, yeah. Next year, seven injuries. Doing the same. It’s the schedule. Don’t look at another way. Impossible.’
