Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has criticised football’s decision-makers for scheduling the Carabao Cup last 16 tie against Liverpool just days after the World Cup final.
Many of the first-team squad have not yet returned to training after participating in the tournament and Guardiola has lamented the fact that he doesn’t have any players to play in the game:
“At the moment, we have four or five players, and we will have to wait and see how the others come back. We just donβt have players because the big brains of football decided this schedule and we are going to play this game [against Liverpool]. Some players are coming back now and in the next few days and step by step, they will re-join their team-mates here.”
Supporters on Twitter believe Guardiola is right to stick the boot in, with many pointing out the humourous sarcasm he used to criticise the fixture schedule:
Tell us what you really think Pep πππ
— βπππππ (@icklepickle) December 17, 2022
ββ¦the big brains of football, with their thoughtsβ¦β πππ
— Hedginmybets (@hedginmybets) December 17, 2022
Cook them
— Terminator (@CastilloErling9) December 17, 2022
Lmaoooooooππππ
— π (@TheSkyIsBlue03) December 17, 2022
Pep owns themπ
— JonathanπΈπͺπ¦π· (@mcfc_jonathan) December 17, 2022
Tbf most of our players were knocked out 2/3 weeks before that game, but a dumb schedule either way
— ππ§ππ π¦π· (@MCFC_Erik) December 17, 2022
While Guardiola is certainly not wrong about the date for the Carabao Cup, the fact is, there is simply no room for it to be played at any other time.
The World Cup has already led to the fixture list being compacted, and combined with other competitions such as the Champions League and FA Cup, there won’t be any free midweeks over the next few months.
