Pep Guardiola has admitted doubts over the ability of his players to maintain their level with their packed schedule after three months off.
Manchester City are back in Premier League action on Wednesday, less than a month after they first returned to the training ground in any capacity. Some players have previously raised their concerns abut returning to action too early and the risk of injuries if they are asked to carry out a heavy workload without adequate training.
City's manager, who has previously lamented how much is expected of footballers, compared the situation in England to Germany and Spain where teams had longer to train together and build their fitness back up before being asked to play competitive fixtures again.
The team appear to be in decent shape heading into the match with Arsenal - however, not only does Guardiola not know what their performance level will be on the night but he predicts that trouble may lie ahead in subsequent games; City are also down to play Burnley, Chelsea, Newcastle and Liverpool in the next 16 days.
"They came back really well so we don’t have any complaints. But the way we are right now, I think like other clubs, is we don’t know," said the coach.
"You ask me how is the team? I don’t know. We will see the level of the team and from there we will see how we will do better. We were worried with these three weeks because there is a lack of preparation, not like in Spain or Germany they have five or six.
"We know it is not enough but it is what is. All the people with their businesses, restaurants and shops they have to adapt and we have to adapt. Everybody has suffered personally and economically and we have to adapt. The players are training good but I don’t know their exact physical condition or how many minutes will be in the high level.
"I think we are ready to play one game but three days after another one and then four days after that another one? We are not ready. Not just Man City, all the teams. But that’s why we have to rotate and use absolutely all the players. The players whose natural physical conditions are better can sustain more time.
"You can play a game after three weeks of holidays but we were for two months lying on the sofa, doing nothing much, and that’s why I think the players are not fully fully fit. But we have to start and we have to finish the season because the damage economically to all the clubs must be as little as possible."
