Guardiola Stands With Klopp Over Fixture Congestion News

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Guardiola Stands With Klopp Over Fixture Congestion

By Daily Sports on November 2, 2019

Pep Guardiola said on Friday he agrees with title rival Jurgen Klopp about the hectic schedule the Premier League's top teams have to face ahead of his side's clash with Southampton.

Klopp criticised as "too much" the number of matches his side have to play as he struggles to find a solution to a fixture pile-up that sees their League Cup quarterfinal against Aston Villa clash with December's Club World Cup in Qatar.

Guardiola would benefit from Liverpool – who have already played 17 matches across five competitions – being over-worked as they slug it out for the Premier League crown, but the Manchester City boss also thinks the load needs to be lightened.

"I completely agree with Jurgen. The only way we can solve this is less games," Guardiola told reporters before his team host the struggling Saints for the second time in a week.

"There needs to be less fixtures, less competitions and more recovery. At Christmas time, we play 27th and 29th December.

"We always have this debate. They always talk about it in Uefa meetings. I'm with Jurgen when he makes these kinds of statements about too much football."

City have played 118 matches over the last two seasons, winning five domestic trophies in England, and Guardiola admitted that frequent line-up changes and prioritising certain matches is the only way to go.

"I prioritised by not playing Ilkay Gundogan, Kevin De Bruyne and David Silva in the Carabao Cup," he said.

"I think that Jurgen and Arsenal have done the same. The exception was Manchester United with the situation they have.

"For others, that competition is good to rotate the team and for those other players who don't play too often. But yes, there is too much football." (Reuters)

•PHOTO: Pep Guardiola

Source Daily Sports

Posted November 2, 2019