GUARD UP
‘It’s unacceptable’, fumes Pep Guardiola as Man City boss launches furious rant on live TV after FA Cup semi-final
Guardiola has cited his player's health as a reason to change the fixture list
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PEP GUARDIOLA launched an astonishing attack on football bosses after Manchester City stumbled into the FA Cup Final.
The City boss slammed the FA for making his team play the first semi-final of the weekend less than 72 hours after their Champions League clash with Real Madrid ended in agonising defeat on penalties.
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Guardiola was in no mood to celebrate, despite Wednesday night spot-kick villain Bernardo Silva grabbing a late winner to punish Chelsea for missing a host of chances.
City will play the winners of Sunday's clash between Manchester United and Coventry and Guardiola raged: “It’s really unacceptable that Coventry, United and Chelsea don’t play in the week and they let us play today.
"Why not give us one more day? It’s impossible, for the health of the players. It is not normal, honestly it’s not normal.
“It’s common sense. I’m not asking for a special privilege. But I want to protect my players. We started in conditions that were a risk for injuries and health.
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"I know they don't care but I care. Because I win, I have the courage to tell you.
“I know the FA Cup in this country is special for many things, but it’s for the health of the players.
"I don't understand how we survived today. People cannot imagine what a punch in the face it was to be out of the Champions League in the way we are out.
“What they have done today is one of the greatest things I have seen from a group of players.
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Silva hit his shootout penalty straight at Real goalkeeper Andriy Lunin on Wednesday night.
But in the dying minutes at Wembley the Portuguese star saw his shot deflected in by Chelsea defender Marc Cucurella to give City a victory they hardly deserved.
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Silva said: "I am very happy after a very frustrating week for the fans and me personally.
"The good thing in football is that if you play at Man City you play every three days so you have the chance for a bit of revenge and to put things right.
"Today we tried to do that even though we were very tired and we are very happy with another final and a chance to win a trophy.”
Chelsea suffered more Wembley agony after losing February’s Carabao Cup final to Liverpool through a Virgil Van Dijk goal late in extra time.
This time Blues striker Nicolas Jackson was guilty of missing a number of great chances to score before Silva’s late intervention.
Why Man City fans were to blame for penalty defeat to Real Madrid
RIO FERDINAND and Joleon Lescott have blamed Man City's penalty shoot-out defeat to Real Madrid on the FANS.
Bernardo Silva missed one of the spot kicks as City crashed out of the Champions League.
And the England duo spotted how the home fans at the Etihad played a role in the spot-kick being saved.
Ex-Man City star Lescott claimed the home supporters held onto the ball for too long after Real's Luka Modric fired his shot into the stands.
He said: "That would have just took him out of sync and out of his rhythm.
"You can practice the routine, the technique, the walk up potentially, this is something you don't prepare for, the ball being in the crowd."
Ferdinand chimed in: "40 seconds by the way Joleon," before Lescott continued: "That is a long time. It may not seem that long but it's a very long time when you are waiting there and you are thinking, now do I change position?
"Now do I change where I go? And all of a sudden, it's a soft penalty."
Manchester United legend Ferdinand went on to say: "It's a shame though as well, because it is the home fans that are delaying that penalty kick which is a shame."
Downcast Blues boss Mauricio Pochettino said: "It is so easy to explain. We conceded in a moment you should not concede.
"We were not capable of being clinical in front of goal, we had many chances but we did not score.
"I think in the game we were a little bit better and deserved more, but it is not about deserving it, it is about being clinical and we were not today.
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“But we have to take the positive things and try to build.
“Now it’s the time to finish the season in the best way and then see how we can be better next season.”
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