“You are the journalist” – Pep Guardiola issues spiky response over Manchester City schedule | OneFootball

Pep Guardiola engaged in an awkward exchange with Sky Sports after Manchester City’s 1-1 draw with Arsenal on Sunday afternoon.

The contest at the Emirates Stadium was another pulsating Premier League clash between two sides chasing silverware as Erling Haaland’s early strike looked to have secured all three points for the visitors, only for substitute Gabriel Martinelli to salvage a point in stoppage time.

The Brazilian winger’s late intervention ensured Mikel Arteta extended his remarkable unbeaten streak against his former boss to five games, while the result highlighted the physical and mental toll of a demanding week from the perspective of Manchester City.

Just three days earlier, Pep Guardiola’s side had been stretched in Europe, beating Napoli in a UEFA Champions League encounter via a 2-0 scoreline at the Etihad Stadium, and the Catalan coach left his side unchanged for a third game running in North London.

City’s problems have been compounded by the continued absences of Rayan Cherki, Rayan Ait-Nouri, and Omar Marmoush, while John Stones has only just returned to training, leaving Guardiola relying heavily on core players to test both their rhythm and fitness levels.

Speaking with Sky Sports after the 1-1 draw at the Emirates Stadium, Pep Guardiola spoke of the importance in recognising City’s challenging turnaround from the win over Napoli on Thursday night to taking on Arsenal 48 hours later.

“The game against Napoli in the Champions League was so emotional, and after we had a day of recovery, the day after we had to travel four or five hours,” Guardiola pointed out.

“Because maybe you don’t know – unless you live in London and you have that privilege – but people who live in the north-west have four or five hours to arrive in London. And it’s more fatigue and everything,” he continued.

“Guys, it’s a team that fought for the last two Premier Leagues, arrived in the semi-final of the Champions League, and not just Man City who invested money, they did as well. It’s so tough! But we were there; we talked about we had to be so strong in mentality, and we’ve done it!”

In a sudden change of tone, Guardiola was then asked by the interviewer whether there had been a scheduling issue in the build-up, to which the Manchester City manager sighed in response followed by the reporter asking, “Fair question, no?”

Guardiola hit back, “You are the journalist, my friend. If you don’t understand my process in what happened, you don’t understand me. 10 years we are together, so.

“Honestly… of course it doesn’t effect; our mindset has to be strong, but we had a lot of fatigue with the same players [playing], how many injuries, John [Stones] coming back from injury, we have [Rayan] Cherki, [Rayan] Ait-Nouri, Nathan Ake out for a long time.

“We had to put a lot of players maybe who forgot rhythm, [Abdukodir] Khusanov was injured, in this kind of position with his pace we don’t have. But if you want to bring up the fact now I’m complaining for the schedule, OK. I’m complaining for the schedule! Are you satisfied?”

Pep Guardiola’s sharp words underline a long-standing and growing frustration with the relentless nature of the calendar, particularly when combined with the cluster of injuries Manchester City are managing.

It is not the first time the Catalan head coach has pointed towards the importance of player welfare, and his comments will likely fuel debate around fixture congestion at the top of the English game.

Looking forward, the international break may provide some respite, but Manchester City face a gruelling October with key UEFA Champions League fixtures alongside domestic clashes against Brentford and Aston Villa.

Whether the Premier League makes adjustments to support its representatives in Europe remains to be seen, although Guardiola will not hold back in voicing his frustrations in the meantime, amid a personal belief that no alterations will ever be made to benefit players.