A heated Champions League rivalry should have another chapter soon when Manchester City meet Real Madrid in the round of 16. However, there is already controversy over what Pep Guardiola considers unfair treatment of his team.
Manchester City suffered the worst outcome in the draw by being paired with Real Madrid while Bodo/Glimt was the other option. The schedule will be tight for both clubs, but the Football Association was not kind with the FA Cup programming, which the Spanish manager loudly complained about.
Guardiola said without prompting: “We have Nottingham Forest. After that, three days for the FA Cup in Newcastle at 8 PM. Thanks so much for that time to go battle Real Madrid with less recovery. It’s different if you return to Manchester at 7 or 8 PM than at 1 or 2 AM. Also for Newcastle. It’s not the same one time than the other.”
Manchester City’s calendar
The calendar gets tight for every top club at this time of year. In this case Guardiola appears to have a point, because most other teams play their FA Cup matches at 3 PM local time while City must travel to play at a much later hour.
Manchester City are chasing Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal in the Premier League (Michael Regan/Getty Images)
Manchester City’s next challenge is a Premier League match with Nottingham Forest this Wednesday, followed by a trip to Newcastle for the FA Cup on Saturday, and then the Champions League first leg against Real Madrid in Spain the following Wednesday.
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Guardiola added: “I know every team plays at 3 PM, but we play at 8 PM. Those details make the difference. Just like a corner kick, a free kick or a throw-in. We are going to have less recovery and then go to Madrid.”
The fixture before the rematch
Manchester City’s attempt to overtake Arsenal in the Premier League continues with a favorable home match against West Ham after the first leg of the round of 16. That match was moved back a few hours to give them extra rest, which means the second leg will arrive sooner. The club will try to secure a place in the quarterfinals on the following Tuesday.
