Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has announced plans to shorten his half-time team talks following the club’s fine for frequently starting matches and resuming play late.
The Premier League penalized the club £2.09 million after they admitted to breaching rules 22 times “without good reason.”
When asked to comment on the situation, Guardiola said: “I just read it in the news. I would try to do my speeches at half-time shorter.”
He was speaking before Saturday’s pre-season match against Chelsea in Columbus, USA.
With so few senior players at his disposal after Euro 2024 and the Copa America, Guardiola has given significant minutes to Norway striker Erling Haaland after his national team failed to qualify for the summer tournament.
Guardiola, who previously said Haaland had “muscle niggles”, said: “He woke up and feels much better. And hopefully he can play a few minutes.”
Guardiola declined to address speculation about Atletico Madrid’s interest in striker Julian Alvarez, who is currently representing Argentina at the Olympics in Paris.
However, he did offer praise for Enzo Maresca, his former staff member now managing Chelsea.
“I’m really pleased for him,” Guardiola added. “We spent a special year together.
“He is an incredible, lovely person. And his family too.
“He did a really good job – unbelievable – at Leicester: promotion to the Premier League and now he is in one of the top five, six teams in England.
“And I wish him the best because he deserves it. Nice people deserve the best.
“And as a manager he has success because he has the most important thing. To be a manager is believing something deeply but, really, deeply, deeply.
“And whatever the results, I stick with my idea. And that’s why he believes in what he does.
“And he will have success. I don’t know how long, but he will have it.”