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Louise Thomas
Editor
Manchester City could be heading for another clash with the Premier League – this time over the start date for next season.
City manager Pep Guardiola says the league will not accept a request from the club to postpone their first matches of the 2025-26 campaign because of their involvement in next summer’s Club World Cup.
The champions fear burnout among their squad owing to their heavy schedule this term, which could run until July 13 if they reach the final of FIFA’s expanded 32-team tournament in the United States.
That could leave them just a four-week gap to squeeze in player holidays and pre-season preparations in time for the anticipated start of the Premier League, and a potentially shorter break if they are involved in the Community Shield.
Guardiola says enquiries about a potential delay for City have so far fallen on deaf ears and he does not expect that to change.
This comes at a time of strained relations between the club and league as City face a hearing into 115 charges of alleged rule-breaking, including a failure to co-operate with an investigation.
Speaking at a press conference ahead of Saturday’s clash with Fulham, Guardiola said: “The Premier League (has) not allowed us to postpone – and Chelsea, I think, all the teams that will go to the World Cup – the first two games to have more recovery. Thank you so much! They don’t postpone these games.
The Premier League say yes to us? No. Absolutely not. It's not going to happen— Pep Guardiola
“I think the club asked the Premier League, (for) the first or second game, to postpone it one or two, three weeks, in the middle (of the) week, to have one more week or two more weeks’ holidays after the World Cup.”
Asked to clarify if a request had not been allowed, Guardiola said: “Absolutely not. The Premier League say yes to us? No. Absolutely not. It’s not going to happen.”
The Premier League has not commented but the PA news agency understands initial discussions were held over the possibility of postponing fixtures. These were of an informal nature and no specific request was made.
Whilst there was no outright refusal, City have not been given the impression any such application would succeed.
For its part, the Premier League has been put in a difficult position by the addition of the Club World Cup, which also involves Chelsea, to the calendar in what would normally be a fallow summer. Indeed it has presented challenges for all domestic leagues.
Delaying the start of the 2025-26 season is problematic because it concludes with the next international World Cup. There are also fewer midweek dates available for rearranged matches following the recent expansion of European club competitions.
Guardiola has no doubt his players will be feeling the effects of the season come the summer.
He said: “It’s going to happen (tiredness).
“I don’t know if we’re going to play more games than the treble year, maybe we’ll play less games, but in the end, the big difference is when you finish the season and you (normally) go on holidays, you have to go to the States to play the World Cup. That is the moment we’re going to fight.”
FIFA has indicated clubs will be expected to take their strongest squads to the tournament.
Guardiola said: “We’ll go with all the squad but I don’t understand how (anyone else says) this player is stronger than the other one.
“I’m not going to (let anyone else) say before the games which player has to play. I will decide, that’s for sure.”
