“FIFA, UEFA Will Maybe React a Little Bit”- Manchester City Boss Pep Guardiola Urges Players to Take Drastic Step

Congestion of fixtures is a malady of modern soccer. Pep Guardiola, among many, has been vocal about this issue. Earlier, he suggested that UEFA and FIFA should take action, and brought into focus the strange number of injuries to players. Manchester City is again heading towards a clamped-up schedule. And so, the Spaniard, in his press conference, asked the players to take a strong step to help themselves.

In an earlier pressing, Pep stated that reoccurrence of injuries makes it evident the players are not having enough time to regain fitness levels. He cited Kevin De Bruyne’s injury as evidence to his claim.

Pep Guardiola wants players to stand up for themselves

Not all of injuries can be associated with heavy scheduling of matches but for a team who has been fighting on all fronts since last season, it is a crucial one to note. Pep, in his recent press conference, told the players to ask the associations involved to bring a change and make a difference.

He said, “There is only one solution to change something, maybe if all the players decide for themselves to say, ‘STOP’, then you have to change something. And then maybe FIFA, UEFA will maybe react a little bit.”

Manchester City faces a challenging fixture congestion as they gear up to participate in the FIFA Club World Cup in Saudi Arabia in mid-December. With entry into the tournament at the semi-final stage, the possibility of playing their final Champions League group fixture on December 12 or 13 looms. This can cause potential disruptions to their Premier League campaign. This could also lead to the postponement of matches against Crystal Palace and Brentford.

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Earlier in a press conference, the Manchester City boss slammed UEFA and FIFA for their jammed-up fixtures. The injury to Kevin De Bryune has been a big factor behind the City boss lashing out at the soccer managing associations.

Pep calls for soccer governing bodies to focus on intensive scheduling of fixtures

Treble winners, Manchester City encountered an early stumbling block in their start to the new season. Midfielder Kevin De Bruyne was forced to exit the field due to fitness concerns during the team’s season opener. This setback highlighted the issue of tight scheduling between games, prompting manager Pep Guardiola to criticize both UEFA and FIFA.

Guardiola voiced his concerns over the intensity of fixture scheduling, stating that De Bruyne would undergo surgery and might be sidelined for an extended period. He then made the call for soccer governing bodies to prioritize more thoughtful fixture planning.

Guardiola drew from his experience with longer pre-season preparations and expressed apprehensions regarding the elevated risk of ACL injuries under the current scheduling conditions. His critique underscores the need for soccer organizations to reconsider their approach to fixture management.

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The pressing matter has been subject to long debates and discussions but no change has been made as of yet. If not resolved in time, it can be a burgeoning issue for UEFA and FIFA in the future.