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Man City Will Adapt to Busy Week, Guardiola Says

Manchester City's Spanish manager Pep Guardiola reacts during the English Premier League football match between Manchester City and Brentford at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, north west England, on September 14, 2024. (AFP)
Manchester City's Spanish manager Pep Guardiola reacts during the English Premier League football match between Manchester City and Brentford at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, north west England, on September 14, 2024. (AFP)
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Man City Will Adapt to Busy Week, Guardiola Says

Manchester City's Spanish manager Pep Guardiola reacts during the English Premier League football match between Manchester City and Brentford at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, north west England, on September 14, 2024. (AFP)
Manchester City's Spanish manager Pep Guardiola reacts during the English Premier League football match between Manchester City and Brentford at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, north west England, on September 14, 2024. (AFP)

Manchester City will adjust to a demanding week ahead by using their academy players, manager Pep Guardiola said before the start of their Champions League campaign.

Guardiola's side are bracing for a whirlwind, as an independent hearing into City´s alleged 115 breaches of Premier League financial regulations is set to begin on Monday, two days before they host Serie A champions Inter Milan in the Champions League.

City will then host Arsenal in the Premier League on Sunday and Watford in the third round of the League Cup next Tuesday. Guardiola said his side will need to acclimatize to the season ahead, in which they are projected to play about 75 games.

Many City players, including Kevin De Bruyne, Manuel Akanji, and Bernardo Silva, have voiced concerns about the crammed calendar this season with an expanded Champions League format and the Club World Cup.

"I have no opinion (on the format)," Guardiola told reporters. "UEFA decided this and we want to be there so we will play that format.

"Yes, there are more games (in the calendar), but it is what it is. What can we do? On Wednesday, we play the best team in Italy then on Sunday we play best contender of last two seasons.

"Then Tuesday another game. We have an Academy. We have to adapt and go. I like to play Champions League, so we are going to play."

All three European club competitions have been expanded to 36 teams this season and FIFPRO's European member unions have started legal action against FIFA over the expanded men's 32-team Club World Cup, starting next June in the United States.

Last season, England recorded the highest number of domestic back-to-back matches, 87, among top European leagues, with Premier League clubs averaging the shortest recovery time between games at 67.3 hours.

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City Need Reinforcements after Not Making Summer Signings, Says Guardiola

Soccer Football - Premier League - Manchester City v West Ham United - Etihad Stadium, Manchester, Britain - January 4, 2025 Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola REUTERS/Phil Noble/File Photo
Soccer Football - Premier League - Manchester City v West Ham United - Etihad Stadium, Manchester, Britain - January 4, 2025 Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola REUTERS/Phil Noble/File Photo
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City Need Reinforcements after Not Making Summer Signings, Says Guardiola

Soccer Football - Premier League - Manchester City v West Ham United - Etihad Stadium, Manchester, Britain - January 4, 2025 Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola REUTERS/Phil Noble/File Photo
Soccer Football - Premier League - Manchester City v West Ham United - Etihad Stadium, Manchester, Britain - January 4, 2025 Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola REUTERS/Phil Noble/File Photo

Manchester City need to invest during the January transfer window due to injury problems and a faltering Premier League campaign, manager Pep Guardiola said on Monday, acknowledging it may have been a mistake to rule out signings in the summer.

City's title defence looks all but over after six league defeats has left them sixth in the standings and 12 points behind leaders Liverpool who have a game in hand.

Guardiola's side have missed Ballon d'Or-winning midfielder Rodri, who ruptured knee ligaments in September, and have suffered injuries to defenders John Stones and Ruben Dias.

"In the summer the club thought about (signings) and I said: 'No, I don't want to make any signings," Guardiola told reporters ahead of Tuesday's league game at Brentford.

"I relied a lot on these guys and thought I can do it again. But after the injuries maybe we should have done it."

City have not made a significant signing in January since the arrival of Aymeric Laporte for 57 million pounds ($69.67 million) from Athletic Bilbao in 2018.

Guardiola could not confirm whether a deal has been done to bring in Lens defender Abdukodir Khusanov.

"The club didn't announce anything. I don't know," he said.

"Rodri is impossible but the other ones (injured players) I want back. If it would have happened I wouldn't be going to the transfer window this season. Absolutely not.

"We would not be in the position that we are but we struggle all season. It's not just Rodri, we have a lot of problems in the back four. That is the reason why the club is thinking we might do this transfer."

 

WALKER'S FUTURE

 

After City's 8-0 FA Cup win over Salford City on Saturday, Guardiola revealed that Walker had asked to leave the club, but the manager had no update on the situation and the right back could be in the squad at Brentford.

"No news. I'm not going to add anything, no more news. I only have Brentford on my mind," Guardiola said.

"We will decide this afternoon after training."

The cup win was a third consecutive victory for City, a welcome return to form after Guardiola's side had previously won only once in 13 matches in all competitions.

"We won three games. Before it was impossible to win one," he said.

"Now we won three, and that helps us. But the reality is we won against a team in the last game for the difference of the Premier League and League Two (fourth-tier), the badges of both teams, and many reasons we should win.

"We have to wait to see if we are who we are. The mood is better. Tomorrow we have an enormously difficult game."

Brentford, who lost 1-0 at home to Championship (second-tier) bottom side Plymouth Argyle in the FA Cup third round on Saturday, are 11th in the standings, seven points off City.