'I have many doubts' - Pep Guardiola insists he is concerned about 'exhausted' Man City squad amid questions over potential treble
- City can win PL, UCL & FA Cup
- No team has done so since Man Utd in 1999
- Guardiola dismissive of chances
WHAT HAPPENED? Guardiola's team booked a spot in the last four of the Champions League this season and will battle Sheffield United for a place in the FA Cup final on Saturday. City's hopes of retaining the Premier League title received a boost on Friday, too, as leaders Arsenal drew with Southampton. City, then, could be the first team to complete an English and European treble since Manchester United did it in 1999, but Guardiola is pessimistic about their chances of doing so.
🏆 TOP STORY: England captain Williamson to miss World Cup
đź“Ł HAVE YOUR SAY: Do Arsenal have any chance of winning the title?!
🚨 MUST READ: Toxic CR7 isn't getting his own way at Al-Nassr
WHAT THEY SAID: "I’ll talk to you about it after we have won the FA Cup and Premier League,” he said to reporters when asked if his side can complete the treble. “Before the final of the Champions League we will start to talk of the treble. Look how far away it is. We are far, far away. How many times in this amazing country have trebles been done? How many years? How many teams? It is one. Once. Our neighbours did it in how many centuries? The best thing is to focus on if we have enough legs for tomorrow to compete against Sheffield United. Am I excited about the treble? Not at all.”
He added: “I have to smell and talk. After the game in Munich they couldn’t really celebrate in the locker room because of how exhausted they were. I’ve rotated a lot in previous seasons [in semi-finals] and it wasn’t good. I have many doubts about the lineup. I have to see the training sessions on Friday and talk with many of them and see what is my feeling."
THE BIGGER PICTURE: City are five points behind Arsenal in the Premier League but have two games in hand and come up against the Gunners on Wednesday. They will also take on Real Madrid in the semi-finals of the Champions League.
IN THREE PHOTOS:
WHAT NEXT? Guardiola's side meet Sheffield United in the FA Cup on Saturday and the winners will go on to meet either Man Utd or Brighton in the final.