Pep Guardiola has bizarrely lashed out at the Eurovision Song Contest while criticising Manchester City’s congested fixture list.
Liverpool is hosting the popular song contest - the first time the UK has done so since 1998. Birmingham was the chosen city that year but thousands of fans from across the continent will descend on Merseyside to support their country.
The extra volume of people forced Merseyside Police to demand Everton’s home clash against City - originally scheduled for Saturday - be pushed back a day. However, the decision has not gone down well with Guardiola.
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His treble-chasing side entertain Real Madrid for the second leg of their Champions League semi-final on Wednesday. Aiming to gain an advantage, Guardiola hoped for an extra day’s rest before taking on the European heavyweights.
The Spaniard took aim at Eurovision for altering his plans ahead of City’s trip to Goodison Park this weekend. Guardiola said: “We play Sunday, thank you so much. I don't understand it, but I don't want to fight for that anymore.
“How many times can we comment on that? I don't understand it, but we have to adapt to it so… it doesn't matter, I don't fight the schedules: UEFA’s, Premier League’s and so on.
“We can't play Saturday because of Eurovision and we don’t have enough police to handle two important events at the same time. OK, we have to adapt. What can I do? We'd prefer to play Saturday so we can prepare more.”
Guardiola even called for help from top-flight chiefs themselves while blasting the current schedule. City are aiming to become just the second team in English football to complete a historic treble.
“I'm pretty sure the Premier League wants to help the teams in the Premier League - I don't think they make it uncomfortable (on purpose),” he added. “The problem is the schedule, the amount of competitions and games.
“France and Germany play Friday, here is the opposite. The Premier League is more important, the schedule is the schedule. Since day one I felt it, it's not going to change.”
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