Pep Guardiola slams semi-final scheduling: ‘I don’t understand how we survived’

PEP PEEVED: Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola celebrates following the Emirates FA Cup semi-final match at Wembley. Photo credit: Adam Davy/PA Wire.

After Manchester City beat Chelsea 1-0 to reach a second successive FA Cup final Pep Guardiola was scathing about the scheduling of the semi‑final, 72 hours after the “punch in the face” of losing Wednesday’s Champions League quarter-final to Real Madrid in a penalty shootout after extra time.

Bernardo Silva’s 79th-minute strike kept the holders on course for a double Double, yet Guardiola questioned why City’s semi-final could not be staged on Sunday and Manchester United’s with Coventry on Saturday instead.