Manchester City needed ‘71 treatments’ before semi-final, Pep Guardiola reveals
Pep Guardiola has revealed that 71 treatments were administered to his weary players in the 65 and a half hours between Manchester City’s draw at Atlético Madrid and the FA Cup semi-final defeat by Liverpool last Saturday.
The high number of treatments was because of the toll of “three finals”, Guardiola said – the home and away legs against Atlético and the Premier League game at home against Liverpool in between.
“Our physios made 71 treatments in the space between Atlético Madrid and the semi-final against Liverpool,” City’s manager said. “The full figure is 71, it’s true. I saw the people there. The doctor came to me. But it’s not for just one game, it’s after these three ‘finals’.
“They [the medics] told me as it was more than usual. The schedule is what it is. At Millwall [City’s training base for the Cup semi-final] we had six massage tables by the side of the pitch for players – they watched those who didn’t play in Madrid train.”
Guardiola was without Kyle Walker, Kevin De Bruyne and Rúben Dias at Wembley. Walker’s ankle problem rules him out of Brighton’s visit for the league match on Wednesday but De Bruyne and Dias await fitness tests.
Dias has not played for seven weeks because of a hamstring injury but Guardiola is not concerned about putting the Portuguese defender back in. “He could [play 90 minutes],” he said.
“It depends on the game. Tomorrow’s game is so demanding. I haven’t decided on the lineup. I think maybe the last minutes for him but he could start, he could play. I have no doubts about Rúben. With Rúben, it is not a problem.
“Over seven weeks, he went to sleep at 10pm, up at 7am – lunch at the same time every day and he stays in the gym and the pool for I don’t know how long. He does it when he