Manchester City midfielder Bernardo Silva has criticised the Premier League for what he described as unfair fixtures after City’s 1-1 draw with Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday.
Gabriel Martinelli’s stoppage-time strike denied City victory, but Silva argued that the bigger issue was the lack of recovery time his side had compared to their opponents.
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City hosted Napoli in the Champions League on Thursday night, winning 2-0, leaving them just 66 hours to prepare for Arsenal. By contrast, the Gunners played their European fixture on Tuesday, a 2-0 win over Athletic Club in Bilbao, giving them an additional day’s rest.
“It is not fair to play one of these games like this. It is just not right,” Silva told reporters.
“We cannot come into one of the most important games of the season with such a disadvantage in terms of rest. I wasn’t in perfect condition to play, and people who haven’t played at this level don’t understand what it feels like. You need to be at your best.”
City boss Pep Guardiola echoed Silva’s concerns, saying his players were “incredibly tired” and reiterating previous complaints that English clubs face tougher schedules than European rivals during key stages of the season.
Silva, who featured in 62 matches for club and country last season, stressed that the issue is not unique to City.
“I don’t think they are trying to make us lose. It could happen to Arsenal or Liverpool in a few months. But when it’s City v Arsenal, Liverpool v City, or Liverpool v Arsenal, there should be more common sense.”
