Pep Guardiola has pointed to the global football schedule as a key factor behind his team’s concerning struggles, stressing to his bosses that a larger squad is necessary to cope with the increasing demands of the calendar.
This statement comes on the same day that Manchester City announced a record annual revenue of £715million, alongside a profit of £78million.
Guardiola said: “There are more games than ever, we have more injuries than ever. It made me reflect that with this calendar you need a squad of 25-30 players.
“It will be more difficult financially for the club but we are going to play the Club World Cup in summer, three weeks, then start the Premier League again, and maybe we have to have a deeper squad.”
Man City made a £139million profit on transfers in the last financial year, but Pep Guardiola heads into Sunday’s Manchester derby at the Etihad with only three defenders available.
Manuel Akanji, John Stones, and Nathan Ake are all injured, while Rico Lewis is suspended.
Guardiola is also without long-term absentee Rodri, and there are still doubts over the fitness of Mateo Kovacic and Phil Foden.
“When people ask what the problem is, it’s the schedule,” he said.
“It’s not the training, not the doctors, not the physios, not the players, not how they eat or how they rest.
“It’s just one problem: the schedule.
“This is the truth. Without players, everything is more difficult.
“When we won the Treble or four in a row, we had one, two or three muscular injuries and were so stable.
“That’s why we could compete and now we cannot. It’s time to survive and stay there and, sooner or later, the players come back.
“Champions League qualifying will not be easy but if we can be there, I don’t know what will happen in January or February to my team.
“We always respond well.”
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