O treinador do Manchester City, Pep Guardiola, alertou que pode deixar o cargo se receber um elenco “grande demais” na próxima temporada, já que não suporta mais a possibilidade de deixar de fora de jogo tantos atletas em boa forma.
O City entrará na pós-temporada buscando reconstruir um elenco envelhecido, com vários jogadores experientes que podem seguir o exemplo de Kevin De Bruyne no Etihad. O belga fez sua última partida em casa pelo clube na vitória por 3 a 1 sobre o Bournemouth na terça-feira.
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A temporada marcou o fim da sequência sem precedentes do City de quatro títulos ingleses consecutivos. A derrota para o Crystal Palace na final da Copa da Inglaterra no último fim de semana significou que o time terminará sem um grande troféu pela primeira vez em oito anos.
As lesões afetaram duramente o City nesta temporada, mas Guardiola, sempre a favor de um grupo menor de jogadores, insistiu:
— Eu disse ao clube que não quero isso (um elenco maior). Não quero deixar cinco ou seis jogadores na geladeira. Não quero isso. Vou me demitir. Reduzam o elenco, e eu fico. É impossível para a minha alma (dizer) aos meus jogadores que eles não podem jogar — destacou o técnico.
O catalão acrescentou que, por causa das lesões, “por três ou quatro meses” o time ficou sem zagueiros. Mas, depois, voltou à situação de vários atletas na fila por uma chance em campo.
— Era muito difícil [quando havia lesões]. Depois, os jogadores voltam, mas na próxima temporada não pode ser assim. Como técnico, não posso treinar 24 jogadores. Toda vez que eu os escalo, tenho que ter quatro, cinco, seis, ficando em casa em Manchester porque eles não podem jogar. Isso não vai acontecer. Eu disse ao clube que não quero isso — ressaltou.
Apesar dos problemas com lesões sofridos nesta temporada — notadamente a longa ausência de Rodri, que fez sua primeira aparição desde setembro como substituto no segundo tempo na terça-feira —, Guardiola disse que prefere reforçar seu elenco com jogadores da base.
— Se eu tiver lesões, infelizmente, temos alguns jogadores para a base e conseguimos — disse ele.
O City precisava vencer na terça-feira para manter suas esperanças de se classificar para a Liga dos Campeões sem depender de outras equipes. Um empate com o Fulham no domingo deve ser suficiente para garantir uma vaga entre a elite do futebol europeu.
Omar Marmoush abriu o placar com um belo chute e, embora De Bruyne tenha perdido uma chance com o gol aberto, Bernardo Silva ampliou a vantagem antes do intervalo.
Depois que Mateo Kovacic, do City, e Lewis Cook, do Bournemouth, foram expulsos, Nico Gonzalez marcou o terceiro gol para o City no final, antes do gol de honra de Daniel Jebbison nos acréscimos.
This news was originally published on this post .
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