Guardiola Warns Of Burnout As Man City Face Real Madrid In Champions League Tie

Pep Guardiola has expressed concerns that Manchester City's push to oust holders Real Madrid from the Champions League may be hindered by the demanding Premier League schedule.

After securing a place in the knockout stages with a victory over Club Brugge, City were drawn to face Real Madrid in the Champions League play-off round, with the first leg scheduled for February 11 or 12 at the Etihad. The second leg will follow a week later at the Santiago Bernabeu.

This high-profile encounter falls amid a challenging month for the City. They face Arsenal in the Premier League on Sunday, with additional fixtures against Newcastle and Liverpool, an FA Cup trip to Leyton Orient and a league match against Tottenham in February.

Guardiola acknowledged the fixture congestion, commenting, Well, it looks like a derby already, four years in a row facing Madrid.

He added that while other leagues give clubs more time to prepare for Champions League matches, the Premier League maintains its tough schedule, putting extra strain on teams competing at the highest level.