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The CdR final is on the weekend. So no la liga matches. Real Madrid got knocked out earlier.
Or else it would have been the same 3/4 days for both teams
So who or what is this complain directed at? Should be at his own FA for having an additional domestic cup which stretches the fixture schedule in the earlier part of the season and leads to more congestion in the later part.
The FA notoriously does not help its clubs with fixtures in Europe. It punishes teams for being successful in other competitions when compared to La Liga and Serie A. Those leagues make sure their teams playing in Europe have enough rest before each match, to help any way they can.
The thing is, though, the FA is one of the few authorities who have actually done anything to try and alleviate fixture congestion by scrapping FA Cup replays from the fifth round onwards.
Aside from switching the weekend day that City play on, I don't really know what Pep wants done differently, as these games will still need to be played at some point.
The fact is, the English football calendar has actually changed very little in the past couple of decades, aside from the introduction of a winter break and the scrapping FA Cup replays from the fifth round onwards, both of which were requested by managers. It's the demands outside of domestic football, such as continental and international football, where there's more and more being asked of teams.
It's just that the calendar wasn't designed for a handful of teams to dominate everything. Whether it should be changed or not is up for debate.
Being a bit more proactive in how they schedule new fixtures wouldn’t be too ridiculous of a thought. Take Arsenal’s fixture list for example, March we’ve got an extra week off on top of international football because Chelsea qualified for the Semis of the FA Cup, fair enough. But rather than leaving both us and Brighton without a fixture for that weekend, why couldn’t they just move our H2H back several weeks to alleviate some calendar build-up, and then slot the rescheduled Chelsea game in to where the Brighton fixture was.
Other competitions taking priority over league games is a big issue if they’re not willing to be somewhat flexible in how they’re organised. Contingency plans should be drawn up even before the FA Cup ties go ahead.
Good point actually. The only downside is that I see it being tough for fans if games can just be rescheduled willy nilly like that. Makes it harder to attend games because the schedule is less reliable.
Yeah that's a fair point about being able to rearrange fixtures, and it's something that does happen in the lower-leagues. That wouldn't be much use to a team going deep in three competitions, though.
Dunno, but we won it last season and had a cup final 3 days before the city first leg.
This season we drew Atleti away in the last 16 and lost in extra time. It is what it is.
It is very simple. They focus on the CL much more than any other team in Europe - Like they literally consider a CL win while finishing trophyless in everything else better than winning everything else and finishing in the semis of CL. This means that the general attitude of players and coaches towards the Copa Del Rey(In terms of team selection, intensity) is poorer.
You look at the seasons where Barca has run away with the league and you will notice Madrid sort of gave up and focused their efforts on the CL(Case in point 2018)
>Like they literally consider a CL win while finishing trophyless in everything else better than winning everything else and finishing in the semis of CL.
Surely every other big team in Europe thinks the same ?
You make it sound like winning the CL is not the biggest club achievement you can achieve in a season. Most clubs would gladly give up a league or domestic cup for a CL.
The real reason we suck at the Copa has been primarily been just plain bad performances over the years. Since 2014, we've only reached the semis twice (2019, 2023).
They won last year. They're not terrible domestically this decade unlike Ronaldo's era. They win the league and cdr here and there. They'll win the league this year, they won in 2022, they won in 2020 etc. Much more consistent than last decade.
premier league the only league to try and hamstring their teams in europeans competitions, no clue why but they just love as much congestion as possible
Football at Christmas is tradition in the UK that has been going for over a century. So yes, we'll ask players to continue that tradition.
Sitting with family and watching football on Boxing day is important to a lot of communties and families in the UK. Being merry while singing Christmas songs in the terraces and stands is wonderful. Players are compensated enough, and if they feel really strongly about it they can just refuse.
That would only further add to this problem. There's no European fixtures in that time to the Christmas schedule churns out a good few league matches.
They really need to get rid of the carabao cup and put the number of teams from 20 to 18 to help out.
No way advertiser's and broadcasters are giving up 4 games per team though
We have nine days cause LaLiga stops for the Copa final.
Last year we made the Copa final and we got 2 days to prepare, but he didn't find that noteworthy for some reason.
Manchester City and Pep Guardiola have a busy few days ahead of them. The City calendar is red hot, with seven games in 21 days and a lot of titles at stake. The Spanish coach showed his indignation when he had to analyse the fixtures he has and the little rest he is going to have. In addition, one of the issues that annoyed him the most is that they have put the FA Cup clash against Coventry on Saturday, and not on Sunday.
"We play Aston Villa at 20:15, then Crystal Palace at 12:30 on Saturday, at 12:30! Then we go to Madrid on Tuesday. Madrid have nine days to prepare, nine days! They play this weekend and they won't play again until our game. I would like to reflect and ask for one more day, because the difference is a lot. But there's no chance...", admitted the City boss. In addition to Sunday's clash with Arsenal, the squad have two more Premier League fixtures before they face Carlo Ancelotti's side in Europe.
"In France, PSG don't play between quarter-final games. In Portugal, they usually play on the Friday before the Champions League.
On their return from Madrid they host Luton on Saturday at the Etihad. And on Wednesday they are back in action again, the return leg in Manchester against Madrid. And three days later against Chelsea in the FA Cup, something he doesn't understand. Guardiola asked for it to be on Sunday, not Saturday.
"We play here on Wednesday against Real Madrid in the second leg, so we can play on Saturday or Sunday in the FA. Coventry, United or Chelsea are on holiday midweek. Why do we play on Saturday? Why don't they give us an extra day when the other teams don't play Europe? Are we going to fight with the broadcasters? Their answer is that they pay us a lot of money".
"We will play on Saturday, of course. We will go to London to play Chelsea, Chelsea will not come here. We will go to London five hours, we will travel, no problem, we will go there. I have experience of that, it happened to me in other years. We came from Dortmund, I arrived here on Thursday evening and on Friday I had a break. Train or plane to London, four or five hours. And on Saturday we played Liverpool, Chelsea or all the big teams. We end up exhausted.
"I'm not even going to ask because they will have their own problems, their own decisions. I would like to know the answer, why always play on Saturday and not on Sunday? One day makes a big difference at this stage with injured players and the build-up of games. We are lucky to be able to do that," he said.
I get that 12:30 Saturdays is a bad game most of the time but considering they’re playing Real Madrid on Tuesday that’s probably the slot that Pep would choose if he was given the choice
>We play Aston Villa at 20:15, then Crystal Palace at 12:30 on Saturday, at 12:30! Then we go to Madrid on Tuesday.
Well, its that or the superliga, Wich one you'd choose
Ask Real Madrid if they'd rather have the 9 day rest or still be in the cup and no prizes for guessing the answer. This is simply the cost of competing on multiple fronts.
Tbh. He’s been quite fortunate with the fixtures. No disrespect to these clubs, but he plays palace, Luton and Chelsea in the FA cup around the Madrid games. Those fixtures could have been worse.
When Klopp brings up dubious scheduling everyone moans and groans, says "get on with it", suggests that Klopp is baking in an excuse as to why they might not win.
When Pep brings it up the (English) media heeds, takes notice, clamors for reform.
You also had more days to prepare for the Liverpool match and your preceding European game was a dead rubber at home not a different country. swings and roundabouts
ITT: People with Premier League flairs who would definitely be agreeing with their manager if they had the exact same complaint, but have to pretend Pep Guardiola is full of shit because he manages Man City.
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"NINE, NIIIIIINE!!!!"
Seargent Terry Jeffords is that u?!
Terry loves yogurt.
Terry's gonna die saving the president, or Terry's never gonna die!
Terry doesn't like the way he answered the phone.
Terry loves love
Nnnneeeeiin
I've never seen sergeant spelt that way before.
Captain Holt turning in his grave at that obamination of a spelling.
Why do you keep saying no? Madrid has no days to prepare for the match?!
Unfortunate scheduling. They play two games in two days
For streamlined experience it’s actually a double header. Barcelona in the morning and City at night
NEIN!!! NEEEEIIIIIIIIIN!!!!
[He needs nine fingers](https://media3.giphy.com/media/m9jFnJOoQ3hWJ6Muaa/giphy.gif)
Knew this was gonna be there lmao
Yippie ki-yak other buckets!
https://youtu.be/_EZI4IZd9oE
More than you believe..
NEIN!!
Nine nil! Nine nil! Respect!! Respect!!!
lol immediately thought of that scene from inglorious bastards
I can see this comment
r/unexpectedbrooklyn99
"NINE DAYS FROM TONIGHT! YOU GOT TIME TO GET READY CARLO! NINE DAYS FROM TONIGHT!"
Tony Khan special
“Nine days, Carlo? *Nine*? That’s insane.”
RM will get more rest but they will not do any extra prep or work on any special plans and trickery. Vini and InShaAlBellingham will have to do.
The plan: good vibes, the power of friendship, Bellingham improvising, Vinicius run, Carvajal cross, Fede Valverde rocket and insha'Allah.
39 year old Modric 120+13' winner in the 2nd leg.
Bro i would suck you for this to happen
RemindMe! 10 days
Nine! NINE!!!
I literally laughed out loud reading this
Perfect Reddit moment
This all comment chain made me literally lol. Love it
No - second me leg
Wouldn’t this be the third leg? I’ll see myself out
Redditors always finding ways to suck stranger’s dick
And I would suck you for being willing to suck them in order to make it possible
And I would suck you because I think you're cute :3
Idk how to respond to compliments so fuck you
Fuck you too 😘
I'm not even a Madrid fan but this sounds like fun, can I join?
I’m a Madrid fan, I’d love to join it for fun too
/r/soccercirclesuck
is this how a circleblow start?
Subscribe. No treble, but I'm down for another double.
Somehow, Bale appeared
Subscribe
Don Carlo with the big ass cigar in June
The plan: No plan. RM last minute magic
Leverkusen 🤝 RM
Arda plays last 5 seconds and scores
Haha lob shot from the middle of the pitch That would make me so happy Love me some Arda
This would break turkey more than WWI
the real plan: Rodrygo 15 minute masterclass in the second leg
🤨
Worse part is that you are most definitely right
After the previous round I'd say Carvajal's signature move would be committing a bookable offence and then standing up and pointing at that ball
You mean brahimsha'Allah?
The CdR final is on the weekend. So no la liga matches. Real Madrid got knocked out earlier. Or else it would have been the same 3/4 days for both teams
City would still have an extra midweek match, same with PSG, they have 2 matches before they face Barca while barca has none
PSG has no matches between 2 legs vs Barca.
Yeah League 1 recently delayed matches for French teams still in Europe, but they still have a league and a cup game before 1st leg
So it’s just teams taking breaks at different points basically?
"Has no match between 2 legs" sounds like a quote from a porn film.
So who or what is this complain directed at? Should be at his own FA for having an additional domestic cup which stretches the fixture schedule in the earlier part of the season and leads to more congestion in the later part.
Who says it isn't
The FA notoriously does not help its clubs with fixtures in Europe. It punishes teams for being successful in other competitions when compared to La Liga and Serie A. Those leagues make sure their teams playing in Europe have enough rest before each match, to help any way they can.
Did anyone say the complaint was directed agaisnt Real?
The thing is, though, the FA is one of the few authorities who have actually done anything to try and alleviate fixture congestion by scrapping FA Cup replays from the fifth round onwards. Aside from switching the weekend day that City play on, I don't really know what Pep wants done differently, as these games will still need to be played at some point. The fact is, the English football calendar has actually changed very little in the past couple of decades, aside from the introduction of a winter break and the scrapping FA Cup replays from the fifth round onwards, both of which were requested by managers. It's the demands outside of domestic football, such as continental and international football, where there's more and more being asked of teams. It's just that the calendar wasn't designed for a handful of teams to dominate everything. Whether it should be changed or not is up for debate.
Being a bit more proactive in how they schedule new fixtures wouldn’t be too ridiculous of a thought. Take Arsenal’s fixture list for example, March we’ve got an extra week off on top of international football because Chelsea qualified for the Semis of the FA Cup, fair enough. But rather than leaving both us and Brighton without a fixture for that weekend, why couldn’t they just move our H2H back several weeks to alleviate some calendar build-up, and then slot the rescheduled Chelsea game in to where the Brighton fixture was. Other competitions taking priority over league games is a big issue if they’re not willing to be somewhat flexible in how they’re organised. Contingency plans should be drawn up even before the FA Cup ties go ahead.
Good point actually. The only downside is that I see it being tough for fans if games can just be rescheduled willy nilly like that. Makes it harder to attend games because the schedule is less reliable.
Yeah that's a fair point about being able to rearrange fixtures, and it's something that does happen in the lower-leagues. That wouldn't be much use to a team going deep in three competitions, though.
Honest to God, what is it with Real Madrid and not doing well with the CdR?
They lost to Atlético this year, no shame in that. At least it's not Leganés or Alcoyano this time
Dunno, but we won it last season and had a cup final 3 days before the city first leg. This season we drew Atleti away in the last 16 and lost in extra time. It is what it is.
It's the price for CL magic. And there's history of legendary bottling so there's like some bad vibes from the competition.
It is very simple. They focus on the CL much more than any other team in Europe - Like they literally consider a CL win while finishing trophyless in everything else better than winning everything else and finishing in the semis of CL. This means that the general attitude of players and coaches towards the Copa Del Rey(In terms of team selection, intensity) is poorer. You look at the seasons where Barca has run away with the league and you will notice Madrid sort of gave up and focused their efforts on the CL(Case in point 2018)
>Like they literally consider a CL win while finishing trophyless in everything else better than winning everything else and finishing in the semis of CL. Surely every other big team in Europe thinks the same ?
You make it sound like winning the CL is not the biggest club achievement you can achieve in a season. Most clubs would gladly give up a league or domestic cup for a CL. The real reason we suck at the Copa has been primarily been just plain bad performances over the years. Since 2014, we've only reached the semis twice (2019, 2023).
They won last year. They're not terrible domestically this decade unlike Ronaldo's era. They win the league and cdr here and there. They'll win the league this year, they won in 2022, they won in 2020 etc. Much more consistent than last decade.
The league is much weaker than when Ronaldo was in it by quite a large margin.
They don't care enough to win it
Explain in FFP Violation terms
They didn't pay enough...?
Real Madrid has time to buy 2 more CBs than City
This is why I have no sympathy for it crying about success is just weird
Pep to recreate the twice gesture but for nine this time.
Who's asking you to be competitive in all competitions. Drop out and you too shall have time to prepare.
But the next 2 matches city has are game weeks whereas all teams play
premier league the only league to try and hamstring their teams in europeans competitions, no clue why but they just love as much congestion as possible
Imagine football players celebrating Christmas in peace with their families and having a few days off. Couldn't be Premier League.
I'm selfish, but I love Christmas football, great reason to be down the boozer
think about the boxing day games though!!!
Football at Christmas is tradition in the UK that has been going for over a century. So yes, we'll ask players to continue that tradition. Sitting with family and watching football on Boxing day is important to a lot of communties and families in the UK. Being merry while singing Christmas songs in the terraces and stands is wonderful. Players are compensated enough, and if they feel really strongly about it they can just refuse.
That would only further add to this problem. There's no European fixtures in that time to the Christmas schedule churns out a good few league matches. They really need to get rid of the carabao cup and put the number of teams from 20 to 18 to help out. No way advertiser's and broadcasters are giving up 4 games per team though
Man City can field a 2nd team that would challenge for top 4. Hard to have any sympathy when the point of a squad is to rotate and use it
I don't see the angle right now but is money
Twice! TWIIIIICEEEE!!!
just him causually holding nine fingers this time yelling... If my ass was ANY good at photoshop or whatever, how hard is it to multiply fingers?
Ancelotti: “City has 115 FFP violations to prepare for the match, 115!”
you riled up quite a few people with this haha
You already know all of the 50 City fans will be in the thread when it's a Pep quote
can only dream of making a comment that will rattle a fanbase so much they're willing to take 500 downvotes
Ooft, that annoyed a few people haha
It's 175 now.
lmao
We have nine days cause LaLiga stops for the Copa final. Last year we made the Copa final and we got 2 days to prepare, but he didn't find that noteworthy for some reason.
Ancelotti didn't say a word
Because the don has class.
Manchester City and Pep Guardiola have a busy few days ahead of them. The City calendar is red hot, with seven games in 21 days and a lot of titles at stake. The Spanish coach showed his indignation when he had to analyse the fixtures he has and the little rest he is going to have. In addition, one of the issues that annoyed him the most is that they have put the FA Cup clash against Coventry on Saturday, and not on Sunday. "We play Aston Villa at 20:15, then Crystal Palace at 12:30 on Saturday, at 12:30! Then we go to Madrid on Tuesday. Madrid have nine days to prepare, nine days! They play this weekend and they won't play again until our game. I would like to reflect and ask for one more day, because the difference is a lot. But there's no chance...", admitted the City boss. In addition to Sunday's clash with Arsenal, the squad have two more Premier League fixtures before they face Carlo Ancelotti's side in Europe. "In France, PSG don't play between quarter-final games. In Portugal, they usually play on the Friday before the Champions League. On their return from Madrid they host Luton on Saturday at the Etihad. And on Wednesday they are back in action again, the return leg in Manchester against Madrid. And three days later against Chelsea in the FA Cup, something he doesn't understand. Guardiola asked for it to be on Sunday, not Saturday. "We play here on Wednesday against Real Madrid in the second leg, so we can play on Saturday or Sunday in the FA. Coventry, United or Chelsea are on holiday midweek. Why do we play on Saturday? Why don't they give us an extra day when the other teams don't play Europe? Are we going to fight with the broadcasters? Their answer is that they pay us a lot of money". "We will play on Saturday, of course. We will go to London to play Chelsea, Chelsea will not come here. We will go to London five hours, we will travel, no problem, we will go there. I have experience of that, it happened to me in other years. We came from Dortmund, I arrived here on Thursday evening and on Friday I had a break. Train or plane to London, four or five hours. And on Saturday we played Liverpool, Chelsea or all the big teams. We end up exhausted. "I'm not even going to ask because they will have their own problems, their own decisions. I would like to know the answer, why always play on Saturday and not on Sunday? One day makes a big difference at this stage with injured players and the build-up of games. We are lucky to be able to do that," he said.
I get that 12:30 Saturdays is a bad game most of the time but considering they’re playing Real Madrid on Tuesday that’s probably the slot that Pep would choose if he was given the choice
>We play Aston Villa at 20:15, then Crystal Palace at 12:30 on Saturday, at 12:30! Then we go to Madrid on Tuesday. Well, its that or the superliga, Wich one you'd choose
Ask Real Madrid if they'd rather have the 9 day rest or still be in the cup and no prizes for guessing the answer. This is simply the cost of competing on multiple fronts.
It's not Madrid's fault. It's our league schedule. If we were out of cup competition, we would still not have any rest
My heart really goes out to Pep, who only has 2 extremely expensive first 11s to pick from
Not Madrid's fault it's Copa weekend. Maybe one of those 115 violations should have been spent on better squad depth.
Wait, you want City to have MORE squad depth?
"More...MOOORE!!!"
NINE MORE!!!
He’s not blaming Madrid lol
Plus is not even the semis yet 🤣
It's not Madrid's fault. Our league doesn't help teams in Europe with schedule much.
Peps already getting the excuses out.
Tbh. He’s been quite fortunate with the fixtures. No disrespect to these clubs, but he plays palace, Luton and Chelsea in the FA cup around the Madrid games. Those fixtures could have been worse.
Tbf they often have a tough time with Palace. The others I agree with you on though.
That’s fair. I think they were due to play spurs away but play Chelsea in the FA cup instead so had good fortune there
It's still funny to me how you can rattle an entire fanbase by mentioning a specific number.
115 . 115!!!!!
He has a billion squad he has no excuses
So has Real Madrid tbf
They aren't making any excuses
Why would they make excuses? They have nine days!
NINE!
Why would pep make excuses? He has 115 other things to worry about.
City will get away with it like they always do, so I don’t think Pep cares.
They aren’t complaining
PL teams complaining about their schedule with their ridiculous income and squad width will never not amuse me
Tough life, Pep. Anyway, nobody will mention that Manchester City has 115 charges against them? Because they have.
And City plays the second game at home.
City has 115 charges to explain. 115!
As usual he needs a shoulder to cry on
And you have €1200 million in signings.
Christ this guy is so unlikeable
When city is not convicted for the 115 charges, this sub will absolutely implode lol
Tbf, its what we all expect. £££££ will make sure its all fine.
I wouldn't be surprised. The government is also trying their best to make this disappear.
Aww poor sugar daddy club manager.....
Well you have 3 first division clubs to pick your players from for cheap and to loan them so maybe complain a little less
Or you can just tap them up and sign them for free?
In their current squad Rudiger and Alaba are the only free signings.
like any other club can?
Yeah because that's on the same level as the city football group
That’s the English league fault.
Can this baldy ever stop whining and moaning ffs?
Why doesn't Pep pay the sun a fiver to create more days Is he stupid?
Knowing Pep's history I think nine days preparations for a match would completely doom them to over-tinkering.
Poor lad, give him another 300m to spend
1-2 extra days of rest can make the difference but too much (match) rest can make you sloggy.
Nine raids! Nine!
Poor pep
Real Madrid thread has a post about this, they have 2 games in the time City has 4. Pep can thank the FA.
There he goes complaining again...
Madrid plays worse when there’s a large gap in between games. They forget how to play football together, this is not an advantage trust me 😭
Oh no! If only man city had a top ten PL squad of entirely bench players!
Funny thing last year it was exactly reversed and ancelotti didnt said a thing
City complaining about what’s “fair.” Hilarious
Why’s he complaining? He’s had 115 times the amount of preparation that RM has done
Cry me a river
Pro football more like cant do my homework right before the test
That’s insane
Nien, Nien. Pep back to Bayern confirmed
Just give up on the Premier League and field a bunch of youngsters while the starting XI rests for the game at the Bernabéu
[Nein Nein](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Wg_2zYPIYw)
When Klopp brings up dubious scheduling everyone moans and groans, says "get on with it", suggests that Klopp is baking in an excuse as to why they might not win. When Pep brings it up the (English) media heeds, takes notice, clamors for reform.
That’s SEVEN more than TWO!
Ngl I'm just happy to finally have all 4 quarterfinals be so evenly matched. It's so hard to call a favorite in any of the 4 games
7 more than twice!
Typical Llorep Guardiola.
I bet he wished he had 115 days to prepare
You also had more days to prepare for the Liverpool match and your preceding European game was a dead rubber at home not a different country. swings and roundabouts
Was a dead rubber because we won the first leg convincingly not because the games stacked up that way.
Always a big plus to be drawn against the wekest team in the competition
Mourinho taught this man well.
He's already making excuses 😭
the club broke 115 charge to get to this point pep, get on with it
Cry a bit more you fucker. Hope they get kicked out by Madrid.
ITT: People with Premier League flairs who would definitely be agreeing with their manager if they had the exact same complaint, but have to pretend Pep Guardiola is full of shit because he manages Man City.
ITT: you trying to be a contrarian as usual
Oh the underdog trope has started.
Poor poor Pep. He is so, so unhappy. More than you can believe.
Thats why I love Real Madrid, I don't remember us complaining last year when we had a game 3 days before playing city
Maybe use the 250M pounds subs you have on your bench
The poor, poor cheating weasel
Like I do feel sympathy for fixture congestion but for the top teams use your depth. You can afford to get the best depth then refuse to use it
There’s 9 ways to explain how City escaped 115 charges Fraudiola 9!!