Pep Guardiola believes Chelsea have built a key advantage over Manchester City this season due to the size of their squad.
City currently sit fifth in the Premier League ahead of Sunday’s derby against Manchester United and are nine points behind leaders Liverpool, who drew 2-2 with Fulham on Saturday.
Guardiola is suffering the worst run of his managerial career to date as City have registered just one win in their last 10 games in all competitions and have suffered seven defeats during that time.
City have missed the influence of Rodri in midfield, with Spain’s Euro 2024 winner set to miss the majority of the season due to an anterior cruciate ligament injury.
Chelsea, meanwhile, are thriving under Enzo Maresca and have won their last six games in all competitions ahead of their Premier League match at home to Brentford on Sunday.
Maresca has utilised the full depth of his squad and has been able to make wholesale changes for his side’s Conference League campaign, which has allowed the likes of Nicolas Jackson, Moises Caicedo and Cole Palmer to fully rest in between Premier League games.
Guardiola believes City need to follow Chelsea’s blueprint next season but admits the hectic football schedule will catch up all players.
‘So why is Rodri injured? He played 75 games last season,’ Guardiola said.
‘When we finished and I was on holiday, he was at the Euros to win the Euros with Spain, and injured with Spain and came back.
‘And one game, two games. Do you know being fresh you get an ACL? No. I promise. Strong as Rodri, but he came back tired, not on the top, but I needed him against Inter, I needed him against Arsenal, not being at the top. And you are not strong enough and unfortunately it happened.
‘The reason why? The schedule. Give him one month and a half, two months holiday, give to Rodri, two months holiday after the Euros, like in the NBA, three months they have, four months they have, tell him, and he would be perfect, and after he can play 80 games if you want. But give him three months.
‘But next season, next season Manchester City, not Chelsea they already have the squad, have to be 30 players, 25 or 30. How do you sustain the club economically, financially? We won’t have revenues next season, impossible. Impossible.
‘Why do we have revenue this season? We sold a lot of players, from the academy especially, a lot, and with Julian [Alvarez] and the other ones, a lot. Combine the financials and the demands for the team, it’s tough! We would like to have 17, 18, 19 players, financially the conductor for the team it’s perfect.
‘Today, in modern football, it’s impossible. Impossible. Even with 22, 23-years-old, the young ones, and one team would say, ‘Ah no because we work differently’. We were perfect in the preparation, physical preparation, because our nutritionists are more special than the other clubs.
‘No, because our beds are top for rest. You say that, yeah. Next year, seven injuries. Doing the same. It’s the schedule. Don’t look at another way. Impossible.’
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