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Pep Guardiola has backed the PFA’s threat to sue FIFA over a congested calendar that they claim is risking the welfare of stars.
Players’ union chief Maheta Molango revealed his members are reaching the point of looking into legal action, after plans for expanded club and international competitions left windows for rest even narrower than they are now.
Guardiola suggested earlier this season that players should contemplate striking to show their dissatisfaction and was outspoken during the recent Club World Cup.
And the Manchester City boss reiterated his opposition to the gruelling fixture list after the champions — who will be severely impacted by the increase in Champions League and Club World Cup games — beat Sheffield United 2-0.
‘Absolutely (I understand),’ he said. ‘Only they can change something, only the players. I have said many times we have too many games. The problem is we have only three weeks of holiday in the summer. It is not enough to regenerate. Look at the number of injuries.’
Pep Guardiola has backed the PFA’s threat to sue FIFA over a congested calendar
Manchester City and a number of other clubs have suffered from a growing number of injuries
The new Club World Cup, a month-long 32-team format starting in 2025, kicks off in America just 15 days after the Champions League final and finishes weeks before the next domestic campaign.
‘This is a defeat for football when players need to take justice in their own hands because they don’t feel protected,’ Molango said. ‘It’s a sad state of affairs. We want to see the best players performing at the best level. With the current calendar, it is physically, humanly impossible.’
Aston Villa boss Unai Emery stopped short of backing legal action, but had sympathy. After a 3-2 win over Burnley, he said: ‘They are playing a lot of matches and it is difficult for players. But some are stronger than others and could play a lot, while others cannot.
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‘We have players injured and a lot of clubs have players injured, maybe more than normal.’
Guardiola admitted Jack Grealish’s tough week contributed to the winger coming off early in the win over Sheffield United.
He was hooked six minutes into the second half, replaced by Oscar Bobb. The 28-year-old, who was given Thursday off after a burglary at his home, looked disappointed.
Grealish admitted that Jack Grealish’s early substitution was in relation to his tough week
Guardiola claimed City were ‘flat’ in the first 45 minutes. ‘I decided I needed a different speed,’ he said. ‘I know it hasn’t been easy for Jack, he’s made an incredible effort to play. The last few days have been really tough.
‘I was thinking a lot about whether to start Oscar from the beginning, not in Jack’s position, in another one. After what we saw in the first half I said: ‘OK Oscar.’.
‘The first half was a little bit flat, but we lifted in the second half with Oscar. He helped us increase our rhythm and movement.’
Guardiola got a fourth booking of the season and added: ‘It was silent, the body language of the players — they didn’t communicate, didn’t talk, didn’t laugh, didn’t shout. I get a yellow card because I have something inside that I don’t like and I do it.’
