Manchester City’s nightmare match is set to continue with its Premier League match against Arsenal due to take place next Wednesday.
City is already facing a hectic series of games by the end of the season, with more to add if they advance in various competitions as Pep Guardiola’s men continue to fight on the three remaining fronts.
The Arsenal match was originally scheduled to take place on Sunday, but City played the Carabao Cup final, won 2-1 against Aston Villa.
City is well positioned to advance to the Champions League with a 2-1 lead over Real Madrid after the first leg at the Bernabeu, and if he qualifies for the semifinals, he has only three weeks left for the Midweek games between March 9 and May 11.
With the Arsenal match likely set for March 11, that number could be reduced to just one – if City also makes it to the FA Cup semifinals.
It is not the first time that City has faced short notice for a Premier League match this season.
Their winter break was recently interrupted to reschedule the game at West Ham, which was postponed due to storm Ciara.
Guardiola has spoken out against the number of games in the English football calendar and recently called for the elimination of a cup competition.
He said, “It is unsustainable. We ask a lot of players, it’s too much. We told them when we were with the Premier League. They should reflect [on] but all the managers complained about it and they don’t care.
“Eliminate competitions, delete them. Fewer games, fewer competitions, fewer teams, more quality, less quantity.
“In the Bundesliga, there are 18 teams and not 20, one cup and not two. In Spain, they have a break.
“The fans will go to the theater, the cinema, the restaurants. People can live without football for a while – that’s not a problem. It’s too much.”