Guardiola makes surprising call before Manchester City vs Real Madrid
· Yahoo Sports
In the build-up to the decisive clash between Real Madrid and Manchester City, Pep Guardiola has taken a surprising decision regarding the team’s preparation.
According to a report from AS, Guardiola has decided to give his players a full day of rest just one day before the match, cancelling a scheduled training session that was initially planned.
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The decision has caught attention because it comes at a time when Manchester City face a huge challenge in the tie.
Notably, the Premier League side suffered a 3-0 defeat at the Santiago Bernabeu in the first leg, leaving them with a major task if they hope to overturn the deficit against Real Madrid.
Despite the high stakes of the match, Guardiola appears to believe that mental and physical recovery may be more beneficial for his players than an additional training session.
City will not train
The City squad had originally been expected to return to their training centre after completing press duties, but the club ultimately decided to cancel the session, allowing players to focus on rest ahead of the decisive encounter.
Interestingly, this is not the first time Guardiola has taken such an approach before a European fixture.
City will not train ahead of Real Madrid clash. (Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images)
Earlier in the season, the Manchester City coach made a similar decision before a Champions League group stage match against Borussia Dortmund.
The strategy proved successful as City went on to win the game 4-1.
However, the circumstances this time are very different, as Manchester City are chasing a heavy scoreline.
According to the outlet, although no official explanation has been provided for the cancellation of training, the likely reason appears to be player fatigue.
This is because the upcoming clash with Real Madrid will represent Manchester City’s 48th match of the season.
With such a congested calendar, Guardiola may believe that ensuring his players are mentally fresh and physically recovered could be crucial in mounting a comeback.