BATTLE CITY

MANCHESTER City manager Pep Guardiola is paaping over the lack of rest his manne will get ahead of the new Premier League season and said their involvement in the Club World Cup could “destroy” them.

City wrapped up the previous league season on 25 May and opened their Club World Cup campaign in Philadelphia just over three weeks later on 18 June.

They faced Al-Hilal in Orlando earlier on Tuesday in the round of 16 and should City go on to reach the final on 13 July they will have a month to prepare for their new league campaign beginning on 16 August.

Guardiola said he did not know how much the Club World Cup would take out of his span and told reporters to ask him about the impact later in the year.

Guardiola wysed: “I may say, so listen, we are a disaster. We are exhausted. The World Cup destroyed us.

“I don’t know, but it’s the first time in our life that that’s happened. So we'll see.”

Guardiola said he can see Jurgen Klopp’s point after the former Liverpool coach labelled the Club World Cup “the worst idea ever implemented in football”.

He added: “Jurgen, we fought together many, many times... when we went to Uefa meetings especially, or when we discussed the Premier League calendar, about how to add more quality, giving the managers and players more rest.

“So his comments didn’t surprise me a lot... I understand his argument, because I would defend his argument as well.”