Football
Jonathan Smith, Manchester City correspondent 7y

Man City's Pep Guardiola: Busy football schedule is 'killing' players

MANCHESTER -- Pep Guardiola says players need to be given more time off because the busy football schedule is "killing" them.

His Manchester City side have played 24 matches already this season and have another seven games to come over the next four weeks.

But the Spaniard is also concerned about their international demands with FIFA president Gianni Infantino this week suggesting the World Cup is set to be extended for 48 teams in 2018.

Guardiola says the number of games should be reduced and the players given more time off in the summer to recover.

"It's not just English football, it's all around the world -- now they talk about a World Cup of 48 teams, we are going to kill the players," Guardiola told a news conference ahead of City's game with Leicester on Saturday.

"We are looking for the quality and forget the quantity so the players don't rest, they have a lot of pressure. There is more competition, more games -- the intensity is high here.

"FIFA will decide and we accept the decision and if we are not happy we go home. They are focussing more and more and more, it affects the quality."

Many of City's players spent the summer with their countries at the European Championships and Copa America.

Their preseason began in July with a tour to China and Guardiola said his side are even expected to impress in friendlies.

"I am thinking just for the players -- they need to breathe, to break, to enjoy," he added.

"This kind of thing is impossible because we are going to finish, then after one week the World Cup then after three weeks we go to the preseason, we go to China, the States, Australia. You play against Milan, Juventus, Madrid and you have to win, people demand you have to play good. No preparation then you come back and it's 11 months again and it's the European Cup.

"You do this for 10 or 12 years and we don't think about the players. For that reason there has to be huge squads, more money for the clubs to spend. It's just three substitutions now, why can you not make four, five or six?

"All the players are involved more than before, the coaches can use different tactics. Less injuries, more open games. Everything would be better. But okay, FIFA have other opinions."

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