Man City recovery plan for Premier League after 'punch in the face'
23.04.2024 - 06:34
/ manchestereveningnews.co.uk
Pep Guardiola ordered his Manchester City players to stay away from the training ground after a gruelling week left them playing in 'unacceptable' conditions.
City’s coach was furious with the decision to play their FA Cup semi-final on the Saturday rather than the Sunday when they were the only one of four remaining teams to play in midweek. To make matters worse, that match on Wednesday needed extra time and penalties against Spanish super club Real Madrid with the Blues left to deal with the emotional issues of a Champions League shootout defeat as well as physical recovery; Guardiola described it as a 'punch in the face'.
Guardiola and his players survived against Chelsea at Wembley with help from the wastefulness of Nicolas Jackson and the composure of Bernardo Silva, but both the manager and his squad blasted the schedule after the game for putting the health of the players in unnecessary jeopardy. And while City have a must-win Premier League game at Brighton on Thursday to prepare for, Guardiola has given the players a few days off to spend however they like - preferably ‘in the fridge’ - before regrouping on Tuesday to go again.
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"In the fridge for two days," said Guardiola. "Don’t see each other, stay at home with your families. Try to rest, nothing special. Two days to prepare for Brighton and Forest. One game at a time."
City could be four points off top spot when they take on Brighton and Forest, with Arsenal playing Chelsea on Tuesday night and then the North London derby earlier on Sunday before the
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