'I give up' - Man City boss Pep Guardiola insists Carabao Cup is prioritised over Champions League in latest swipe at authorities over fixture scheduling

The fixture congestion comes at a critical time for City as they continue to fight on four fronts. While opponents in Spain and France receive tailored help to improve their chances of European glory, Guardiola's men are forced to navigate a relentless domestic programme that shows no signs of slowing down. The Catalan believes the powers that be in England do not provide the same level of assistance to their Champions League representatives as other European leagues do. Guardiola pointed to the fact that Real Madrid's fixture against Celta Vigo was moved to Friday to aid their preparation, while Paris Saint-Germain have also seen league games shifted and even postponed to accommodate their continental commitments.

Despite his status as one of the most successful managers in the game's history, Guardiola admitted he has stopped trying to influence the decision-makers. "Here, it is more important what happened in the Carabao Cup than the Champions League games for the English teams. It happened since day one. So it's no surprise," he told reporters during his pre-match press conference.

The coach further elaborated on his resignation regarding the situation, stating: "I don't pay much attention but I gave up a long time ago. When we won the treble, it was completely the same. So I'm not going to call, even though in 10 years here I know that a lot of my colleagues from all generations do. I don't ask for anything and if we play at 8pm, we're playing at 8pm. Playing at night, we can travel on Saturday. That's the advantage. The disadvantage is the recovery for Madrid is less."

Despite the scheduling gripes, Guardiola remains committed to the FA Cup, a competition where City have reached the semi-final stage in eight of his nine seasons in Manchester. He cited the club's consistent presence in the latter stages as evidence of their professional approach, even when the calendar works against them.

"How many finals did we play in the last years? How many semi-finals? A lot, that means always FA Cup is so important. We are going to travel to Newcastle to win and get to the next round. That's definitely 100%," Guardiola stated.

Amid the scheduling drama, City have received positive news on the injury front regarding their Croatian stars. Mateo Kovacic is back in training following successful surgery, while the club hope to see Josko Gvardiol return before the season concludes. Meanwhile Rico Lewis, who has missed last two games, hasn't been available due to injury, Guardiola revealed.