London (dpa)
Manchester City may clash with the Premier League again, this time over the start date of the new season.
Josep Guardiola, the team’s technical director, said that the League will not agree to the club’s request to postpone the team’s first matches in the 2025-2026 season due to its participation in the Club World Cup, which will be held next summer.
The English Premier League champion fears that his players will be exposed to severe pressure due to the team’s busy schedule this season, which may continue until July 13 if it qualifies for the final of the Club World Cup, which FIFA has increased the number of participating teams to 32 teams, and which will be held in the United States. .
This may leave the team only four weeks for the players to rest and begin preparing for the new season of the league, and the period may be shorter if they participate in the Charity Shield tournament.
Guardiola said that inquiries regarding the possibility of postponing Manchester City’s matches have not received any response so far, and he does not expect any change in matters.
This comes at a time when the relationship between Manchester City and the League is witnessing tension, especially since the English team is facing a hearing on 115 charges of violating the rules, including failure to cooperate in an investigation.
Guardiola said in a press conference before facing Fulham later on Saturday: “The League did not allow us to postpone the first two matches to have more time to recover. And Chelsea, I think all the teams that will participate in the Club World Cup… Thank you very much. They do not postpone such matches.” He added: “I think the club asked the association to postpone the first or second match for a week, two or three, to be held in the middle of the week, so that we would have an additional week or two to rest after the World Cup.”
In response to a question about whether there was a request that was submitted that was rejected, Guardiola said: “Absolutely not. Has the Premier League approved us? “No, definitely not, this will not happen.”
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