Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola made a surprising revelation after the hard-fought 1-1 draw against Liverpool on Saturday, claiming that his team had only trained for 25 minutes before the crucial Premier League clash, reported by GOAL.
Guardiola suggested that the limited training time was a result of a short pre-season, especially after winning the treble the previous year. In a post-match interview, he stated, “In seven years I don’t train. Maximum 35 minutes. We don’t train. They started pre-season 15 days before… do you know what 15 days is? We played the FA Cup final and the Champions League final. They had 15 days more with the new players. We didn’t do one day [of] tactical [work]. The day before, we train… it is the same for Jurgen [Klopp, the Liverpool manager], I’m pretty sure. We did 10-15 minutes with the ball and 10 minutes defensively.”
Guardiola emphasized the challenge of managing a tight schedule, stating, “Before Tuesday it will be 10 minutes on the pitch, moving in that way. We cannot train. If we train, we don’t have players for the next game. We don’t have them. That’s why we have to learn from the past: just understand what you have to do.”
Despite the limited preparation, City secured a draw with Liverpool, with Erling Haaland breaking the deadlock before Trent Alexander-Arnold's brilliant equalizer. Guardiola also faced challenges with key players, as star winger Jack Grealish was sidelined due to a vomiting bug.
What's next for Pep Guardiola's Manchester City?
Looking ahead, Manchester City is set to face RB Leipzig in the Champions League on Tuesday before a showdown with Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday. Guardiola's ability to navigate training constraints and maintain competitive performances will be crucial in the demanding season ahead.
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