MANCHESTER, England (AP) — Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola believes he will need a bigger squad to handle soccer's ever-expanding fixture schedule.
City has been weakened by a host of injuries and is still competing in three competitions, including an expanded Champions League. At the end of the season, it has the Club World Cup in the United States.
“It made me reflect that maybe with this calendar you need a squad with 25, 30 players. It will be more difficult financially for the club," Guardiola said on Friday.
"People say, ‘What is the problem?’ The problem is the schedule.
“Sooner or later it will happen for all clubs. When we won the treble (in 2023), the four domestics, we have one, two, three injuries, but we were so stable. That’s why we could compete, and now we cannot."
Key players Rodri, Kevin De Bruyne, John Stones, Ruben Dias and Phil Foden have been injured or ill and City's form has unravelled. The four-time defending Premier League champion is on a run of seven losses and only one win in its last 10 games in all competitions.
City is fourth in the standings, eight points behind leader Liverpool going into the derby against Manchester United on Sunday.
“We are sad, I’m sad for the players because the way they run and they fight with the circumstances they have," Guardiola said. “Our fans, maybe they are sad. I understand completely because maybe we lose seven games, eight games in one season or in two seasons, and now (in) a month and a half.”
In September, Rodri said players were close to taking strike action over the number of games they have to play.
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James Robson is at https://twitter.com/jamesalanrobson
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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
James Robson, The Associated Press
