Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has expressed his disappointment over the Premier League's refusal to reschedule their game against Bournemouth, slated for next Tuesday. City are set to face Crystal Palace in the FA Cup final on Saturday and will play Bournemouth just three days later, amidst an intense battle for a top-five finish in the league.
Guardiola argued that the scheduling conflict was avoidable, citing Tottenham's Premier League game against Aston Villa being brought forward two days to accommodate their Europa League final preparations. He suggested that the league should have shown similar flexibility with City's game.
City have played a total of 57 games this season, with 60 being the highest for any Premier League club due to their Europa League run. The team is preparing for their third straight FA Cup final and have reached seven consecutive semi-finals, a "huge achievement" for Guardiola.
The manager pointed out that traditionally, City's FA Cup semi-finals have been scheduled on a Wednesday, which would have provided more recovery time for the players. However, this season's semi-final was held on a Sunday, a change Guardiola feels was unnecessary.
With crucial matches ahead that will determine their season's outcome, Guardiola believes the league should have been more accommodating in light of the demands on his team. He added that the team will face Bournemouth on Tuesday, despite the challenging nature of the fixture.
Source: BBC Sports Football
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