Pep Guardiola is expecting a ‘hard’ game against Liverpool in the FA Cup semi-finals tomorrow and doesn’t want any ‘excuses’ from his players following the clash at Wembley.
The Cityzens head into the game off the back of a goalless draw against Atletico Madrid that secured their progress through to the last four of the Champions League.
“Semi-finals of the FA Cup are always hard against this side, even with the top players fit and rested,” Guardiola said in his press conference (via Football365).
“I’ve learned as a manager when you arrive in the latter stages in all competitions you adapt to the schedule. If you want to complain (for a safety) net, you make a mistake. It is what it is.
“We have fought every season like this and we go through, and we are going to perform well.
“I said to the players I don’t want any excuses.”
The former Barcelona boss also revealed the reasoning behind why he requested for the squad to fly straight from the Spanish capital to the English capital rather than returning back home first.
City trained at The Den, the home of Millwall, earlier today in the hope that the players will be ‘as fresh as possible’.
“We thought if we went back to Manchester and trained there after coming back, it would be exhausting to travel from Manchester to London.
“We want to have the legs as fresh as possible with the incredible confidence I have.
“It is not ideal, we know that, but I tell the players to have good massages, good food and sleep a lot, as many hours as possible. At 3:30pm we will be there and try to win the game.”
It looks set to be another exhilarating game, similar to the Premier League clash between the two sides last week.
Both league games have ended 2-2 this season, but there will be a winner one way or the other tomorrow, even if it requires penalties to decide who’s progressing through to the final.
Let’s hope the lads can put in a solid display to put us one step closer to winning the one trophy Jurgen Klopp is yet to win as Liverpool boss.