Pep Guardiola made it clear he isn’t pleased with Manchester Metropolis’s schedule after the World Cup.
Metropolis defeated Girona 2-0 in a pleasant on Saturday, with Kevin De Bruyne and Erling Haaland getting the targets.
The pair had been two of 4 outfield gamers amongst Metropolis’s first-team regulars, together with Riyad Mahrez and Ilkay Gundogan, to have began the match.
Reserve goalkeeper Stefan Ortega and back-up left-back Sergio Gomez additionally featured from the off, however the remainder of the squad was made up of academy gamers.
Metropolis face Liverpool within the EFL Cup final 16 on Thursday, earlier than taking over Leeds United and Everton on December 28 and 31 respectively within the Premier League, and Guardiola claimed he didn’t but have sufficient gamers to organize for the festive fixture listing.
“We now have 4 gamers – 5 gamers,” Guardiola advised Metropolis’s official media channel.
“We now have to see how they’re coming again [from the World Cup]. We don’t have gamers. The massive brains of soccer made this schedule so we’re going to play this recreation.”
Haaland and De Bruyne’s targets helped us safe in the present day’s win over Girona!
Right here’s the way it occurred pic.twitter.com/lLyNQFiyJW
— Manchester Metropolis (@ManCity) December 17, 2022
Metropolis had loads of illustration in Qatar, although De Bruyne and Gundogan had returned after early exits for Belgium and Germany respectively.
Aymeric Laporte and Rodri had been knocked out within the final 16 with Spain and can return subsequent week, whereas England internationals Kyle Walker, Phil Foden, John Stones and Kalvin Phillips, together with Portugal trio Ruben Dias, Joao Cancelo and Bernardo Silva, in addition to Netherlands defender Nathan Ake, are additionally set to affix again up with the squad quickly.
“Some gamers coming again now, within the subsequent few days, step-by-step now we have the individuals right here,” Guardiola added.
“Individuals are coming again quickly. After that the English gamers and Portuguese – they’re coming again.”
Certainly, regardless of being among the finest groups in world soccer, Metropolis have just one participant who will probably be competing within the ultimate between Argentina and France on Sunday.
Julian Alvarez has been considered one of Argentina’s greatest performers in Qatar, scoring 4 targets, together with twice of their semi-final win over Croatia.
“All of us are actually completely happy for him,” stated Guardiola.