Pep Guardiola has taken a swipe at the Premier League for scheduling Manchester City’s penultimate fixture of the season, against Bournemouth on Tuesday, 72 hours after Saturday’s FA Cup final meeting with Crystal Palace.
City are involved in an incredibly tight race for Champions League qualification and, as such, Bournemouth’s visit to the Etihad Stadium is an important one. Asked if his preference would be for it to take place on Wednesday or Thursday instead, Guardiola said: “Definitely. Tottenham played against Aston Villa on Friday ahead of the Europa League final [on Wednesday]. Good decision, I’m not being sarcastic. The Premier League made a good decision, very good.
“We played all the time on Wednesday and [then] we play on Saturday,” Guardiola said of previous seasons’ turnarounds before FA Cup semi-finals after Champions League quarter-finals. “This season we didn’t play [in a Champions League quarter-final] and we played [on] Sunday [in the FA Cup]. We didn’t need that day extra. People say it [the schedule] is for broadcasters, more fans or followers and other things. The previous year they had more followers on the other game, not our game. They are tired of seeing us.
“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.”
The FA Cup final will be Kevin De Bruyne’s last chance to add a 20th major honour to his City résumé before he leaves the club in the summer. “When he plays for us, we want to do it for him,” Guardiola said. “He lifted 18, 19 trophies in nine, 10 years. Not bad I would say. Maybe he is not the first to lift but he’s lifted them. One more would be good.”
Guardiola was asked if Rodri has any chance of being available to face Crystal Palace having been out of action since suffering a serious knee injury in a 2-2 draw with Arsenal in September. “I’m waiting on the doctors,” the manager said. “When they tell me he’s ready, he’s going to start. We don’t want to take a risk and make a setback.”
