Guardiola Gears Up for Gruelling Week with Manchester City

Manchester City faces a challenging schedule, with key matches in the Champions League and Premier League, along with an independent hearing into potential financial breaches. Manager Pep Guardiola plans to utilize academy players to navigate this demanding period, which includes playing around 75 games this season.

Manchester City is preparing for a demanding week ahead by integrating academy players into the lineup, said manager Pep Guardiola as their Champions League campaign gets underway. Guardiola's team is set to juggle multiple high-stakes matches and an independent hearing into 115 alleged breaches of Premier League financial regulations, which begins on Monday.

City faces Serie A champions Inter Milan two days after the hearing opens, hosting them in the Champions League. They will also play Arsenal in a Premier League match on Sunday, followed by a League Cup match against Watford next Tuesday. Guardiola emphasized the need for the team to adapt to their intensive schedule that includes approximately 75 games this season.

With the expanded Champions League format and the Club World Cup, numerous City players, including stars like Kevin De Bruyne, Manuel Akanji, and Bernardo Silva, have expressed concerns about the congested calendar. Guardiola stated, "It is what it is. On Wednesday, we play the best team in Italy, then on Sunday, we play the best contender of the last two seasons. Then Tuesday, another game. We have an Academy. We have to adapt and go." Guardiola remains committed to competing in all tournaments despite the increased workload.

This season, all three European club competitions have expanded to 36 teams, while FIFPRO's European member unions have initiated legal action against FIFA over the expanded men's 32-team Club World Cup, set for next June in the United States. Last season, English clubs recorded the highest number of back-to-back matches among top European leagues, with an average recovery time of just 67.3 hours between games.

(With inputs from agencies.)