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Piers Morgan has slammed Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola after the manager complained about fixture schedules after beating Chelsea 1-0 in the FA Cup semi-finals on Saturday, April 20.
The Cityzens have had their fair share of matches this season, as they are currently in the title race in the Premier League and now the FA Cup final. They've only recently been knocked out of the UEFA Champions League in the quarter-finals. They lost to Real Madrid on penalties after 120 minutes of play in the second leg on Wednesday, April 17.
This saw a lackluster Manchester City side struggle to hold off Chelsea during their semi-final, as the Blues had them on the ropes during counter-attacks. However, Mauricio Pochettino's men lacked the finishing touch required to seal the win, and Bernardo Silva eventually put the Cityzens ahead.
After the game, Pep Guardiola complained to the press about the schedule that saw them play only three days after their grueling 120-minute outing in Europe. He said (via Daily Mail):
"It’s unacceptable. Because I’ve won I have the courage to tell you. For the health of the players, it’s not normal. I don’t understand how we survived today. Why play today and not tomorrow, when Coventry, Chelsea, and United didn’t play in the midweek?"
The manager added:
"Why not have one more day for the health of the players? Tell me how you prepare this final against Chelsea in the best moment of the season. How? It’s impossible. There’s no chance."
Piers Morgan, however, was not having it. The notable journalist reacted on social media, slamming the Manchester City manager (via Daily Mail):
"Oh cry me a bloody river, Pep… You’ve got two world class players in every position, paid by your Middle Eastern gazillions, yet you’re whining about too many games."
Manchester City will have a five day rest now before they face Brighton & Hove Albion on Thursday, April 25.
Mauricio Pochettino slams Chelsea for poor finishing in Manchester City clash
The Blues were not in good form in the final third when they faced Manchester City in the FA Cup semi-final on Saturday. They had more shots on target (5) than their opponents (3), but the clinical edge was simply missing from Mauricio Pochettino's men.
The manager wasn't happy about this, as he demanded an improvement, saying in his post-match press conference (via BBC):
"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. I think last Monday we scored six but today we were not capable of scoring even with having maybe more chances and more clear chances to score."
The Blues have no more trophies to chase after this season, as they sit ninth in the Premier League to launch any meaningful challenge. They will be hoping to get into Europe, at the very least, which would likely need them to win the rest of their games. They are three points behind sixth-placed Newcastle United with a game in hand.
