Pep Guardiola said the gruelling demands placed on his Manchester City players by an intense schedule means he will be forced to make changes to his line-up in the coming weeks in order to protect their welfare.
City face four games in 11 days, beginning with Tuesday’s Champions League opener against Red Star Belgrade at the Etihad, before welcoming Nottingham Forest in the Premier League on Saturday.
They play Newcastle in the Carabao Cup third round on September 27 and travel to Molineux to face Wolves three days later, all off the back of an international window that saw several of Guardiola’s team endure long trips to and from South America.
City came from behind to beat West Ham 3-1 at the London Stadium on Saturday, with Julian Alvarez and Ederson playing key roles despite having returned only days earlier from international duty with their respective national teams Argentina and Brazil.
Guardiola singled out West Ham’s Edson Alvarez, who played for Mexico in their 3-3 draw with Uzbekistan in Georgia in the early hours of Thursday before starting for David Moyes’ team on Saturday.
He lasted 66 minutes before being withdrawn, but Moyes confirmed there was no injury and he was only looking to preserve Alvarez’s fitness.
Nevertheless, Guardiola shared his concerns over the impact the schedule is having on players.
“It is a problem when you have a lot of injuries,” he said. “The problem is not today, it’s in three, four, five games. We have the Carabao Cup away at Newcastle, I’m sorry but we will have to use (from) the second team some players.
“Kevin (De Bruyne) is still out, John (Stones) is still out, Mateo (Kovacic). Jack (Grealish). When you have all the squad you go to Newcastle with a good team and whatever. Right now, it is just to rest, to recover well, training (to get) fit and to arrive on the day of the game in the best condition possible.
“We cannot waste energy because otherwise, these guys who have been playing for the national team, travelling from Bolivia (Julian Alvarez), from Brazil (Ederson) – it’s so exhausting for them.
“Look at Alvarez from West Ham, 15 or 20 minutes after half-time, he’s out. Why? He’s come from South America, he’s jetlagged – 12, 15 hours, he’s come here, played against City. We treat the players in not a good way. We are so responsible for how we treat the players.”
Guardiola added that he was in awe of the physical condition of Kyle Walker, who returned to City’s line-up after scoring his first goal for England in the draw with Ukraine and put in a clinical performance against West Ham.
“I would say I’m not surprised (by his physicality), I’ve worked with him for seven years,” said Guardiola. “But I have to admit that when he is stable and happy, he has (this) ability.
“His mum and dad gave him some genetics that our mum and dad didn’t give to us.”
Bompastor named Chelsea Women head coach after Hayes departure
Sonia Bompastor has been appointed as Chelsea Women's new head coach, replacing Emma Hayes at Stamford Bridge.
Hayes oversaw a fifth straight Women's Super League title for the Blues this season but departed to take up a role with the United States Women's national side.
Bompastor was expected to come in as the replacement for Hayes, with the announcement confirmed on Wednesday as Chelsea managed to strike a compensation deal with Lyon Women.
The 43-year-old, who has signed a four-year deal with Chelsea, leaves the French side after a successful three years in charge, winning three league tiles and the Women's Champions League in 2022.
"The sporting directors and I conducted a thorough and considered recruitment process to identify Emma’s successor," Chelsea's general manager Paul Green said of the appointment.
"Sonia's vision, coaching philosophy and winning mentality made her the outstanding candidate.
"She is a world-class coach with a proven track record of success on the biggest stages that will instantly command respect from the dressing room."
Bompastor won seven trophies during her time with French heavyweights Lyon but lost the Champions League final last Saturday against Barcelona.
She was capped 156 times by the French national team before retiring in 2013, and subsequently becoming the first woman to win the Champions League as a player and coach after her success with Lyon.
Assistants Camille Abily and Theo Rivrin will join Bompastor as Chelsea prepare for a new era without Hayes, who departs the Blues after a 12-year spell that yielded 14 major domestic titles.
'It's a great honour', Kompany smiles after Bayern unveiling
Vincent Kompany admits "it's a great honour" to have been named Bayern Munich's new head coach, and is confident "success will follow" at the Allianz Arena.
The former Burnley boss has put pen to paper on a three-year deal with the Bundesliga giants, after succeeding the outgoing Thomas Tuchel.
Kompany's appointment is widely regarded as a surprise one, with the former Manchester City captain unable to keep Burnley in the Premier League in 2023-24.
Nevertheless, the Belgian now finds himself at one of Europe's biggest clubs, and cannot wait to get started.
"I'm looking forward to the challenge of FC Bayern," he told the club's official website. "It's a great honour to be able to work for this club - FC Bayern is an institution in international football.
"As a coach, you have to stand for what you are as a character: I love having the ball, being creative - but we also have to be aggressive and courageous on the pitch.
"I'm now looking forward to the basics: working with the players, building a team. Once the basis is right, success will follow."
"Vincent Kompany is the type of coach who fits in very well with FC Bayern's playing philosophy and identity," sporting director Christoph Freund added.
"His teams want the ball, and want to play dominant and high-intensity football. He's a young, very ambitious coach with a lot of international experience.
"He has his finger on the pulse when it comes to the players and knows exactly what needs to happen on the pitch. He can and will give our team an enormous amount."
Reus determined to end Dortmund career with European glory
Long considered one of the most talented players of his generation, Borussia Dortmund's Marco Reus has failed to taste major success throughout an injury-plagued career, but he is desperate to leave his boyhood club as a Champions League winner.
The 34-year-old is leaving Dortmund after 12 years at the club and hopes to do so on a high by beating Real Madrid in the Champions League final at Wembley stadium on Saturday.
"Borussia Dortmund means everything for me," Reus said this week. "When you are 12 years at a club then it just has to mean everything."
The former Germany international, who also spent a decade at the Ruhr Valley club as a youth player, has scored 170 goals in 428 matches for Dortmund.
Known for his sublime skills, goalscoring ability and clever play, Reus has been dubbed a "living legend" by Dortmund coach Edin Terzic, having captained the team for five years and won the DFB-Pokal on two occasions.
However, those remain the only major titles of his career, which has been continually hampered by fitness problems.
He missed out on Germany's 2014 World Cup win after suffering an injury in their final warm-up game, while other injuries ruled him out of Euro 2016 and the 2022 World Cup.
Reus also lost out on the Bundesliga trophy in 2023 when Dortmund slipped up against Mainz on the final matchday.
"Marco was 12 years here as a pro and also as a youth. He is not yet done," said coach Terzic.
"In London he wants to experience an amazing game with a positive outcome so as to complete the circle.
"I need him on Saturday. I need his qualities because he has this experience and he has played on this stage before."
Reus is no stranger to a Champions League final or to Wembley, having lost the 2013 showcase game there, against Bayern Munich.
"That was 11 years ago. Now it is a different opponent and different players," Reus said.
"There are worse ways to complete your career at a club than to start with a Champions League final in 2013 and end it with a Champions League final in 2024."
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