Guardiola slams ‘unacceptable’ health risks as Man City reach FA Cup final

Manchester City’s Spanish manager Pep Guardiola (R) speaks with goal-scorer Manchester City’s Portuguese midfielder #20 Bernardo Silva (L) on the pitch after the English FA Cup semi-final football match between Manchester City and Chelsea at Wembley Stadium in north west London on April 20, 2024. – Manchester City won the game 1-0. (Photo by Ben Stansall / AFP)

Pep Guardiola slammed the “unacceptable” schedule that put fatigued Manchester City’s health at risk in their 1-0 win against Chelsea in an FA Cup semi-final scheduled just three days after their gruelling Champions League exit.

Guardiola was furious that the Football Association and television broadcasters set City’s semi-final for Saturday instead of giving them an extra day to recover after Wednesday’s penalty shoot-out loss to Real Madrid in the Champions League quarter-finals.

Exhausted City were fortunate to survive a series of Chelsea misses at Wembley before Bernardo Silva’s 84th minute winner atoned for his penalty blunder in the shoot-out against Real.

Guardiola took aim at the authorities for putting his players’ futures in danger when they could have played Manchester United’s semi-final against Coventry on Saturday instead of Sunday because neither club was in European action this week.

“I’m incredibly happy to play the semi-finals of the FA Cup. I love to be in the quarter-final of the Champions League. But it’s unacceptable to let us play today,” Guardiola said.

“It is impossible for the health of the players. People don’t understand the punch in the face after losing in the Champions League and playing here so soon.

“Why they don’t give us one more day? Chelsea, Manchester United and Coventry don’t play in the Champions League. It is for broadcasters? Ok