Manchester City are set to be without several key players for their upcoming Premier League match against Bournemouth at Dean Court on Saturday, but manager Pep Guardiola is confident that the club’s academy stars can step up in the face of an injury-hit squad.
Addressing the media in his pre-match press conference, Guardiola acknowledged that the team has been forced to rely more heavily on younger players this season due to gaps in key positions. “We use them because we are in an emergency in certain positions,” he said.
“But we trust them to help us, and that is why the academy is there.” City’s academy has produced numerous first-team players in recent years, and Guardiola is hopeful that this generation of young talent will continue to prove their readiness on the Premier League stage.
The manager also weighed in on the increasingly crowded football calendar, which has been a concern for clubs around Europe. When asked if it’s time to discuss adjusting the match schedule to ease the burden on players, Guardiola did not mince words.
“We know it [is too many games] but it is the reality. We try to take care of them,” he said. The intense fixture list has forced City to make adjustments to player recovery routines, with Guardiola noting: “We’ve not done anything differently to previous seasons. If anything, we’ve trained less, but it happens and you have to adapt.”
Despite the challenges, Guardiola’s emphasis on player care and squad rotation reflects City’s commitment to managing player fatigue while maintaining their competitiveness across all competitions.
With the likes of Phil Foden and Jack Grealish frequently rotating with academy players, the team has so far managed the demands of the season, but Guardiola knows it’s a constant balancing act.
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