After the disappointment of losing the FA Cup final last weekend, Manchester City enjoyed a very emotional game last night: the goodbye to Kevin de Bruyne, the return of Rodri, and getting closer to securing a top-5 spot (even a second place is possible) in the Premier League, earning a ticket for Champions League next season. However, Pep Guardiola is never fully happy, and he said something that shocked everyone, even threatening with quitting if the club doesn't fix it: he doesn't like having so many players.
After enduring a horrific season with many injuries (including their Ballon d'Or, Rodri, who returned last night after months side-lined), one would think that having as many players as possible is good. However, Guardiola doesn't see it that way, because having so many players means that not everyone will be able to play, and that "is impossible for my soul".
"As a manager I cannot train 24 players and every time I select I have to have four, five, six stay in Manchester at home because they cannot play. This is not going to happen. I said to the club, I don't want that."
And if many get injured, like this year? "If I have injuries, unlucky, we have some players for the academy and we do it." Guardiola says that it is unstainable, and counter-productive, because it's harder for the players to create another connection with each other, which he feels is something that that this season "we lost it a bit".
Manchester City bought five new players in January to make up for injuries
This comes after Manchester City spent over £200m in the winter transfer market, buying five new signings: forward Omar Marmoush, midfielder Nico González, defenders Vitor Reis, and Abdukodir Khusanov, while midfielder Juma Bah was bought (some would say stolen) from Valladolid and loaned to Lens.
But Guardiola is adamant: "I don't want to leave five or six players in the freezer. I don't want that. I will quit. Make a shorter squad, I will stay."