Pep Guardiola claims he sees no point moaning about Manchester City’s mad February because the schedules have always been crazy in England. City have drawn Real Madrid in the Champions League last 16 for the fourth successive season and they must face the holders as well as Arsenal, Newcastle and Liverpool in February. “The schedule is what it is,” said the City boss. “In the Premier League every team has to play everyone, but it normally happens here in the Premier League, always they have the toughest schedules for the European teams at the toughest stages.

“It’s tough playing against Real or Bayern and the problem is, in the middle, playing Newcastle. They are always so kind with the calendar! For many, many years it has always happened that way.”. Guardiola claims the schedule was gruelling for Premier League sides long before he arrived at the Etihad. “For many, many years before I came here, it’s always been like that,” he said. “So it’s not complaining because you had incredible success dealing with this calendar.

“Always it has been like that and we accept it. I’m not complaining because we won the treble and quadruple doing it like that. “I said many times in the past, last season, we played the quarter-finals against Madrid and three days later we had the FA Cup semi-final at Wembley when we could have had more days. It’s always been like that. “And we survive and we don’t survive because Madrid is better, because the opponents are better.

“But the calendar, I remember when I was in Barcelona training, and I followed the Premier League because it is the most attractive league in the world and Sir Alex Ferguson, Jose Mourinho, Arsene Wenger made the same complaints. “So now you cannot ask me about the calendar because it’s from a long, long time ago.”. Guardiola says other leagues have always helped their teams in Europe, such as Portugal and France. “The broadcasters decide,” he said. “They don’t ask me if it’s better to play on a Tuesday or Wednesday to have one more day.

“There are leagues that play on the Friday before the Champions League. They play on the Friday in Portugal, they play on the Friday in France to have one more day than here. Arsenal (A) - Feb 2. Leyton Orient (A) - Feb 8. Real Madrid (H) - Feb 11*. Newcastle (H) - Feb 15. Real Madrid (A) - Feb 18*. Liverpool (H) - Feb 23. Tottenham (A) - Feb 26. Nottingham Forest (A) - March 8. “It’s always been like that, so it’s not a problem. Because you asked me, so it is what it is. It’s fine, it’s fine.

“It’s no surprise when I see the calendar is what it is because here the Premier League is much more important than other competitions.”. Guardiola joked Madrid is like a derby for City and this will be the ninth and 10th time the Blues have played them under him. “It looks like a derby already, four years in a row facing Madrid,” he said. “So Madrid or Bayern, both were really tough and hopefully we can arrive, first leg here and then one week later in Madrid, as best as possible.”.